The Young And The Restless
by Northern-Southern Belle
Summary: While Gregory establishes a proper image to hide the darker impulses that have begun to overtake him, Felicity searches for the truth about herself and her family, leading dark truths to emerge, and Selina helps Elijah deal with their remaining children. Sequel to When Love Grows Cold. Trigger warning for rape.
1. The Rescuer

Disclaimer: Only plot and Original characters belong to me!

**A/N- In this story, the relationship between Gregory and Katherine will be about domination. It will be violent at times and take awhile (maybe even multiple stories) before the two characters are on equal footing in their relationship. There will also be other references to rape and torture as well. Therefore, if you are triggered by violence and rape in relationships, I advise you not to read this story. I don't intend to offend, but when you write, you can never be sure that people are going to interpret events the way you intend them or take them a different way and I would rather be safe than sorry.**

Panting heavily, the young woman ran down the street, occasionally looking over her shoulder to see if the thug was still after her. She'd met him when he'd stopped by her little shanty near the grocery store and offered her a home with him. She'd accepted right away, thinking that maybe, just maybe, things would finally turn around for her. She could get back on her feet and start over. Maybe even pull herself together enough that her parents would let her move back in with them.

But it became all too apparent that that was not what the young man had intended by his invitation after all. The second she'd stepped over their threshold, the boy and his buddy had looked her over as if she were a piece of meat. Then they'd grinned at each other and the one who'd invited her said, "I thought she'd do." Then, he'd picked her up, put her over his shoulder, and taken her down to the basement of the house, where the two of them had kept her alive for days, but only so they could do what they liked with her body. And she couldn't have objected if she'd wanted to. They'd tied her up and told her that they'd kill her if she even thought about running away.

So she hadn't. She'd just stayed in the basement, awaiting the same fate, day after day. But then, she'd found out that she was pregnant. She hadn't told either of the boys about it. She wasn't even sure which one of them was the father of her child. But they'd figured it out, and one night, she heard them talking. One said that they couldn't keep her now. That she'd have to be disposed of. They couldn't let her get away and tell other people what they'd done. Straining against the ropes that bound her, she'd been able to see through a crack in the door to the room where the boys were talking. It made up the other half of the basement where she was being kept. She saw a glint of a knife, and then the glint was gone. The door opened and the boy stepped out, and toward her.

"And how are we today?" He asked, stroking her hair and then her cheek. It sickened her to have him touch her. She'd been docile before, since she had nowhere else to go and at the very least, they gave her a roof over her head in spite of all they put her through, but now, knowing now what they planned to do with her, she knew it was time to fight back. She had nothing left to lose.

She said nothing to the boy. She didn't even smile. She just watched him and swished spit around in her mouth until she got a large amount and she spat it right in his face. As he yelled and put his hand to his cheek, he produced the knife with his other hand and slashed at her face. It didn't do much damage cause he wasn't aiming properly, just a few shallow cuts on her face. She deftly untied herself and punched him under the chin. He fell to the ground, out cold, and she made a run for it, knowing that since the other boy was out, she'd have a better chance of getting away. But just as she'd gotten out of the house, the other boy had driven up. He'd ran after her and that's what they'd been doing ever since.

At first, he'd tried to talk to her, to try and convince her to come back. "What do you think you're doing, you bitch?" He'd yelled. "You have nowhere to live, no belongings. No one gives a fuck about you in this world! We're doing you a favor, so don't you _dare_ run from us!"

But she'd continued to run. She figured that if they caught her, they'd kill her, and although she wouldn't have minded that on her own, she had a child to think of now. She wasn't just gonna let it die. She was gonna have it, and then give it to a hospital so it could have a good home and hopefully parents who treated it better than hers ever did.

When she saw a building up ahead, she ducked into it. It was a small cafe and the few scattered customers and chubby redheaded waitress at the counter stared at her.

"Sorry," she whispered. She then ran behind the counter and hid.

"Are you all right?" The waitress asked.

"My boyfriend," the girl whispered. "He-he hits me. Ever since I got pregnant, things have gotten worse, and he got upset when I told him that I wanted to leave. He's been chasing after me all day and if he catches me, he'll hurt me. If he comes in here and asks for me, tell him that you haven't seen me. Please?"

"Of course," The waitress replied. "You stay there for as long as you need."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"What's your name, sweetie?" The waitress asked.

"Amanda," the girl replied.

A few seconds later, the boy stormed into the cafe. "Have any of you seen a girl around here? Dirty blonde hair, green eyes, pregnant? She's my girlfriend and she just ran off on me. I'm worried sick about her."

"Bull shit," the waitress replied. She picked up a heavy rolling pin and smacked the boy on the head with it. He dropped to the ground and lay still. "All right," she said, looking around at the other customers. "Someone watch him and if he dares open his eyes, you hit him again. You understand me? I'm gonna call the police. He committed the most horrible crime that can be committed against a woman and I'm sure no one wants to see him get away with it."

The customers began to mutter agreement amongst themselves and several stood over the boy's prone body. As the waitress dialed the police, she asked the girl, "Is he the only one, or are there others?"

Amanda brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes and nodded. "There's one other," she whispered. She gave the woman the address and when the police came to take the boy away, they promised they would go and get other boy too, and throw them both in jail. When they were gone, Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," she said to the waitress. "You can never know how grateful me and my baby are to you. I don't know how to repay you."

"You got a place to live, honey?" The waitress asked. "If you don't, I know a place for girls in your situation. The sweetest man in the world runs it. He'll make sure you're taken care of. Come with me to my car and I'll take you there."

"Thank you," Amanda replied. "Are we going now?"

"After you get a meal in you," the waitress answered. "You look like you haven't had a decent meal in too long."

"Thank you," Amanda said again. She ate and then the waitress took her in her car to a big house, and led her to the front door. They got out of the car and went to the front door, which the older woman knocked on with urgency.

"I'm coming!" A voice called from the other side. "Just a minute!"

The door opened to reveal a very tall man, one of the handsomest Amanda had ever seen. He gave her a wide smile, and then turned his attention to the older woman. "Ruth!" He exclaimed and gave her a hug. "Who have you got for me today?"

"She came by the restaurant, Mr. Mikaelson," Ruth told him. "She run off from a bad relationship. She's pregnant. Can you do something for her?"

"Of course!" The young man replied. "Bring her in!"

Stunned, Amanda followed him and Ruth inside. After awhile, the older woman smiled and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "I gotta be gettin' back to the diner now," she said. "But you'll be safe with Mr. Mikaelson, here. He'll take good care of you."

"Thank you," Amanda got out again. It was really all she could say.

Ruth gave her one last smile and left. Then, Amanda stared awkwardly at the young man in front of her. "I bet you're wondering how I ended up like this," she said to him.

He shrugged. "Not really," he said. "Things happen. It's not your fault. I take it that your parents don't know what happened to you?"

"No," she shook her head. "I've not talked to them in a year, and if I tried, I know they wouldn't answer the phone. I don't have a family anymore."

"Well, now you do," the young man replied, smiling warmly and putting his arm around her. "You can call me Gregory. I promise you you'll be very well taken care of here."

"Thank you," Amanda said again, giving him a hug.

"Eliza!" He called, and a plain-looking older woman came running. "Yes, sir?" She replied.

"This is-" He gave Amanda a look.

"Amanda," Amanda supplied.

"This is Amanda. Take her to an empty room, won't you, and see she's taken care of and comfortable?"

"Yes, sir," Eliza said and ushered Amanda up the stairs to a room. The girl breathed a sigh of relief. She felt safe here, and somehow she knew that from now on, everything was gonna be all right.

* * *

Lenora looked out the porthole as dark blue sky and stars floated past.

"What are you looking at?" James asked. "Anything interesting?"

"No," Lenora shrugged. "Just the sky." She turned and strode over to him. "I want to thank you," she told him. "I want to thank you for, you know, just being here. You probably don't want to hear about all the good you've done me in the time that I've known you. I know you probably think that the only person who was helped by our arrangement was you, but I was too, and I realized that I've not told you often enough how much I appreciate you. So, thank you."

"You're welcome," James told her, feeling gratified. "I've not often been thanked for the help I give people. That's probably why I stopped doing it."

"Oh, yeah?" Lenora asked. "I sense a story coming on."

"Not if you don't want to hear it," James told her. "It's really very dull."

"Is it about your life?" Lenora asked.

"Yes," James answered.

She sat on the bed and patted the space beside her. "Then I want to hear it," she replied. "I've told you nearly everything about my life and I want to hear about yours."

James sat beside her. "All right," he replied. "But it's not a fun story. I grew up with my mother and four siblings near the shipyards of the city that is called Belfast, Ireland today, although it wasn't called that then. My father worked in those shipyards, and when he was killed in an accident, my mother was left to care for us herself. As the oldest sibling, I felt it was my duty to support my family, so I went to work, and although I didn't make us rich, at least we lived comfortably."

"How old were you when your father died?" Lenora asked.

"Sixteen," James replied. "The same age you were when you came to me. That's one of the reasons that I began to like you in the first place. You were an old soul for someone so young, Lenora. Just like I had been.

"Anyway, I worked for five years and then an epidemic swept through town and killed what was left of my family. I was only spared because I was away working. I lived aimlessly after that, drinking and gambling and chasing women. Then I caught the eye of an older, wealthy widow and she wanted us to marry. So we did, and although I didn't love her at first, I grew to. I found out too late that she didn't feel the same way. That her only purpose in marrying me was so that she'd have a monopoly on my talents and could lord it over the younger village girls. But as you know, once you have something, if you have it just to have it, it's never as good. She tired of me eventually and took up with an immigrant Englishman, who was much closer to her age."

"Max," Lenora guessed.

"Yes," James cleared his throat. "Exactly. Max. I found them together one day, and that's when I-" He trailed off and Lenora put her arms around him. "You don't have to tell me anymore," she assured him. "That's enough, thank you."

He gave her a smile. "I could tell you about every bad thing I did and it wouldn't matter to you, would it?" He asked.

"No," She shook her head. "All that matters to me now is that you're a good man to me and a good father to our children. That's enough. I don't need more."

Just then, Susanna let out a cry.

"Duty calls," James said, standing up. "It _is_ my turn, right?"

"Yeah," Lenora nodded. "But don't worry. I'll keep the bed warm for you until you get back. I promise."


	2. Some Awful Truths

A few days later found James watching Henry and Susanna while Lenora worked on restraining the criminals the two of them had caught. He could have done it himself, but once they'd started, he decided that it wouldn't hurt him to have Lenora's help. He'd been consulting the maps for the next port of call when all of a sudden, Henry let out a yell and he looked up.

"What's happened?" He asked. But his question was answered almost immediately. Henry had a white trail oozing down the front of his shirt. As the little boy stood up, a look of disgust on his face, he looked up at James. "She threw up on me!" He cried angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Susanna, who immediately started to cry. "Put her in her room for punishment! Or keelhaul her!"

James couldn't help but smile a little at Henry's expense. "I'm not going to keelhaul your little sister," he told Henry. "What happened? She couldn't have just thrown up on you for no reason. Did you do something to her?"

"Not really," Henry shrugged. "I was just giving her bugs to eat and then she threw up!"

James' eyes narrowed and he put the map down, going to pick up Susanna, who was still sniffling, and put her in his lap. "What do you mean you were giving her bugs to eat?" He asked.

"Just what I said!" Henry replied. "I picked up bugs from the ground, gave them to her, and she put them in her mouth."

James groaned and rubbed his temples with his free hand. This would be so much easier if they were still moving or in water, or anywhere else except dry land. He looked around the patch of earth where the ship had landed and growled quietly. "You don't feed your sister bugs for your own amusement, Henry," He scolded.

"Why not?" Henry asked. "It's so _easy_!"

"That doesn't matter," James replied, wiping off Susanna's mouth and letting her cuddle against him. "You don't do things like that to your sister when she's too little to fight back."

Henry looked at her stained shirt. "I'd say she fighted back pretty good," he replied.

"Go inside and we'll get you cleaned up and change your clothes," James ordered. "And when your mother gets back, I'm going to have to tell her about this."

"But I didn't even do anything wrong," Henry said. "Don't get Mommy involved. Why can't you just punish me yourself?"

James grinned. "What good would that do?" He asked. "You're more scared of your mother than you are of me. The only way punishment will stick is if she does it. Now, will you go bathe and change peacefully, or do I have to make you?"

Henry's eyes widened. "I'll go quietly," He said and ran into the ship with James and Susanna following close behind him. While he cleaned himself off and changed his clothes, he thought about what he would tell his mother when she found out what he'd done to his sister.

* * *

Gregory told the last girl goodnight and went to tuck himself into his own bed. He was feeling much better than he had been. He'd even improved enough that if he were to go home and apologize to his father, he would probably let him stay. But he couldn't do that. He was perfectly happy where he was. He'd made a good choice leaving Katherine's. He felt something for her, certainly, but he knew that it did him no good to be what she found attractive. If they were gonna be together, she'd have to bend to his will, not he to hers. But he knew that would be awhile, if ever. She wasn't one to just change at the drop of a hat, even if by some miracle she did feel the same way about him that he did about her.

The next day, he left Eliza watching the girls and helping them do what they needed to in order to make successes of themselves while he went out to get groceries.

"Hey," He heard a voice behind him as he reached up for some cereal. "How's it going? Have you missed me a lot?"

Without turning, he replied, "No, Katherine, I haven't been missing you. I haven't had the time. I've been doing useful things for the community. But if _you've_ missed _me_, all you have to do is swear off all your bad habits and you can come home to stay."

"At _your_ house?" Katherine asked. "You're inviting me to come stay at that repository for wayward girls that you run? Why would I _ever_ want to live in a place like that?"

"Maybe to share with them your own experiences?" He asked, turning to give her a penetrating glance. "You were in the same position as most of them once, weren't you? And I doubt it was pleasant."

"I survived," she replied. "And I did it without help from a sanctimonious know it all like you who thinks that he's special just because he has the means to throw money to poor girls. I managed completely on my own."

"But you were lonely," Gregory told her. "Weren't you?"

"Even if I was, it would be none of your business," Katherine replied. She snatched three boxes of Lucky Charms off the shelf, put them in her basket, and strode away without another word.

Gregory stood there for a few seconds and then ran after her. "Katherine, wait!" He called. She turned, a smirk on her face. "I think I liked it better when you called me 'Katerina'. What do you want?"

"You should come home with me," he said. "I insist."

"No," Katherine shook her head. "I'm fine by myself. I don't need your charity. You made your choice to leave me and that's it."

"But you have to understand why I did it!" Gregory replied. "You made me behave in ways that I just can't condone to make you happy."

Katherine scoffed. "And yet here _you_ are, saying that the only way I can be with you is if I change _myself_ and be the kind of person you think I should be. You're a hypocrite, Gregory."

"Well, so are you!" Gregory replied. "And if you can't accept me the way I am, then I don't want you."

"I think I feel the same way about you!" Katherine replied and made to stride away again.

"I hope you have a miserable life by yourself!" Gregory called after her. "And if you ever get lonely and miserable, don't come crying to me!"

"Don't worry," Katherine responded. "I won't!"

But the vow wasn't as easy to keep as Katherine thought. Over the next few weeks, whenever she'd be out around town, she would see Gregory walking around with a girl on each arm, a different pair every day. Finally, one day, she confronted him about it. "You're certainly getting around," she told him. "I guess, in a way, that's a good sign for me. If you can't just pick one girl, it means you're not serious about any of them. It means you still want me."

He sighed. "I'm always gonna want you," he replied. "You're my first choice. And all the girls you've seen me with? I'm not interested in any of them. At least not romantically. They're the girls I'm helping. I would never presume to go further with any of them than that."

"Doesn't it get _boring_ being the hero all the time?" Katherine asked him. "Don't you wish you could just let go?" She strode over to him, put her arms around him, and kissed him deeply, running her fingers through his hair. It wasn't easy, considering that she had to stand on tiptoe to reach him. Whenever he_ wanted _her to kiss him, he made it easy for her and bent down a little. Now, she had to strain her neck and when she finally pulled away, she was sure she'd pulled a muscle there.

"Are you okay?" Gregory asked with a smirk.

"You could have bent down a little," Katherine replied, rubbing her neck.

"Why?" Gregory asked. "That would imply that I wanted you to kiss me when I didn't."

Katherine smirked. "That's not what it felt like to me," She replied. "If you hadn't wanted me to kiss you, I don't think your hands would have ended up where they were."

"I don't know why you always act like you have some sort of magnificent victory over me every time I touch you," Gregory replied. "How many times do I have to say that being with you is what I want more than anything? What I've always wanted? You're the one who's always pushed me away!"

"Except for when you left," Katherine replied. "That annoying sense of morality you inherited from your father just might've ruined everything for us."

At this remark, a grin spread over Gregory's face and he put his arms around her and bent down to whisper in her ear. "I don't know about that, Katerina. I know you'll want to come to me eventually, and when you do, you know where I am."

"Don't count on it!" Katherine called. But that night, as she lay in her bed alone, his offer swirled around in her brain. She wasn't desperate enough to give in yet, but she figured that one day, she'd end up that way.

* * *

"Where's the note?" Stefan asked Felicity. "The one you got from the hotel?"

"Will you stop worrying?" Felicity asked. "Why do you want it?"

"Because I don't think it's a good idea for you to keep it around!" Stefan replied. "Do you know how upset your father's gonna be if he sees it?"

"Why would he be upset?" Felicity asked, pulling the note out from under her mattress. "It doesn't even say anything. It could just be a prank."

"You mean you're not concerned about what it says?" Stefan asked. "You don't wonder why it says that you're not who you think you are and that people have been lying to you for years?"

"Why should I be concerned?" Felicity asked. "Stefan, do you know something you won't tell me?"

"No," Stefan asked. "Of course not."

"Well, fine," Felicity replied, holding the note tight in her fist. "I think I'll just go ask Dad then, if you won't tell me." She made her way to the door, but Stefan sped over and blocked it just as she reached it. "No," he said. "You don't want to ask him."

"Why not?" Felicity asked. "What would make him so angry?"

Stefan sighed. "That note," he told her, "It's not a prank. It's real."

"Okay," Felicity replied. "But what does it mean then? Why does it say that I'm not who I think I am? Was I kidnapped or something?"

"No," Stefan shook his head. "It's not as bad as all that, but your parents aren't who you think they are."

Felicity's jaw dropped a little. "Well, who are they then?" She asked. "Can you tell me?"

"I could," Stefan nodded. "But I think your father would be the best person to tell you that."

"How about you stop calling him my father?" Felicity asked. "If that's not who he is to me. If you can't tell me who my parents really are, can you at least tell me who the guy I always thought was my father really is?"

Stefan sighed and shut his eyes. "Your grandfather," he said. "The guy you've always thought was your father is really your grandfather."

"Really?" Felicity asked. "And my mom? Who's she?"

"Your grandmother," Stefan replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go tell him what I just told you so that when you ask him to tell you the rest, he won't be shocked by it."

"Will he hate me for asking?" Felicity asked. "I don't want him to hate me."

"Of course he won't hate you!" Stefan replied. "He knew he'd have to tell you sometime, and that time is now." He took the note, left her and went to look for Klaus, and when he found him, he gave a knock on the door. Klaus, who was deeply absorbed in a painting, turned, but only after a little while.

"What?" He asked. "I thought I told you I didn't want to be interrupted!"

"I know you did," Stefan nodded. "But I have a good reason. Felicity made me tell her the truth. You know, about her parents? Well, I didn't tell her the _whole _story. She doesn't know about Adrian or Helene. She just knows that you're her grandfather and Selina is her grandmother. I thought I'd let you and Selina tell her the rest."

"How could you?" Klaus asked. "It's not time! She's too young!"

"Apparently not," Stefan replied, and handed him the note. "She got this at the hotel where we were staying. And before you ask, no, we didn't see who left it for her. We heard a knock, she opened the door, and there it was."

Klaus read it over, crumpled it in his fist, and threw it away. "I have to go," he said. "I have to tell Selina about this. You stay here, Stefan. And if Felicity asks anything else about this, don't answer her!" He then strode back and grabbed the note out of the trash. "I should probably show this to Selina," he said.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "You probably should."

* * *

"Klaus?" Selina said in surprise when she opened the door to a very insistent knock. "Are you okay?" She added even though he didn't look it. "Come in."

Klaus nodded and let her usher him inside. She sat him down and took a seat in the armchair across from him. "So what's going on?" She asked. "I've never seen you like this before."

"She knows," Klaus replied. "Stefan told me she knows."

"Who knows what?" Selina asked.

Klaus sighed. "A few weeks ago, Stefan and Felicity went hiking to this mountain a few hours from my house. They were gonna be gone for a couple of days, so they got a hotel, and one day, there was a knock at their door, and when they opened it, there was a note addressed to Felicity that said something to the effect of 'You're not who you think you are. People have been lying to you your whole life'."

"What?" Selina asked, feeling shocked. "Who would _do_ that? Do you think Adrian or Helene might have...?"

Klaus shrugged. "I don't know who it was. Stefan said they didn't see anyone. He told me about the note because he wanted to give me fair warning that Felicity would ask for more details about what really happened. About why Adrian left her with us."

"If she asks for them, give them to her," Selina shrugged. "It's nothing to be ashamed about. You gave her a good home, Nicky. You've always been there for her more than anyone else. Including me. Do you have the note? Let me see it."

Klaus nodded. "That's true."

Selina reached out and put a hand gently on his shoulder and then took the note to read it over. "Would you like me to be there when you explain it to her?" She asked when she was done. "Cause I will be, if you don't feel up to handling it alone."

"What?" Elijah asked. Selina quickly pulled her hand away and turned to face him. "Felicity," she told him. "She knows that Klaus isn't really her father, and I'm just offering to be there if he wants me to be when he tells her what happened."

"Well, if you're going to be in the same room together," Elijah replied, "naturally, I'd like to be there too."

Selina sighed. "Fine," she said. "But all we're gonna do is tell Felicity about everything and then leave. If you get bored, don't blame me. I didn't insist you come into a situation you have absolutely nothing to do with."

"I won't mind," Elijah told her. "I promise." Selina rolled her eyes and the three of them got in Klaus' car and drove to his house, where Felicity was sitting on the front steps. When she saw them coming, she stood up and ran over to them. "I have questions for you," she said.

"And we'll answer them," Selina told her. "But first, let's go inside."

Felicity looked at Elijah. "What's he doing here?" She asked.

"Chaperoning," Elijah replied. "Don't mind me. Pretend I'm not here."

"Oh, if only that were easy," Selina told him. Elijah frowned, but said nothing as the four of them went inside and took seats in the living room. "So," Selina began. "Where do you want to start?"

"Stefan said you two are my grandparents," Felicity answered. "Is that true?"

"Yes," Klaus said after a long moment. "That's true. Biologically, I mean. I hope that you'll still consider me your father, even though you know the truth now."

"But what about my _real_ father?" Felicity asked. "Who _is_ he?"

Selina pulled out her wallet, letting a bunch of pictures hang out of it. She pointed to the handsome, smiling, blond young man in the second photo. "This is your father. His name is Adrian."

"He left you with me," Klaus added.

"Why did he do that?" Felicity asked. "Did he not want me?"

Selina sighed. "I'm sure that if circumstances were different," she began, "he would have wanted you very much. But things between him and your mother were very complicated, and just raising your older sister was tough enough for him. The prospect of having another child who was completely consumed by their magical powers was something he just didn't feel he could face. Not that I'm condoning his cowardly behavior, but-"

"So I was an accident?" Felicity asked. "My real family didn't want me so they just dumped me on you?!"

"Not quite," Klaus told her. "Helene, the woman who sends you the nice notes, she's your mother and she wanted you very much. She just neglected to discuss it with your father first, and that upset him. Your mother was kind of...controlling. She decided, also without consulting your father, that you and your sister would be raised primarily as witches, with the smallest amount of attention paid to your vampire side. Your father thought if he left you with me, you'd learn everything about yourself. He was wrong to leave you, but in his own clumsy way, he meant well. Are you mad?"

Felicity sighed. "Well, I just found out that my father didn't want me and foisted me off on my grandparents to get me out of the way. I don't know _how_ I'm supposed to feel." She paused and then came over to put her arms around Klaus. "But I don't suppose it would be right for me to be mad at you," she told him. "After all, you _did _want me, so...thank you."

"You're welcome," Klaus replied, hugging her back.

"Are we done here?" Elijah whispered to Selina. "Can we go?"

"You two good?" Selina asked.

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "For the moment. You can go."

Elijah was out of the house quickly, while Selina followed at a much slower pace. "You know," she told him, "If you were bored, it's your own fault. I told you you didn't have to come."

"Yes, I did," Elijah told her as they got in the car. "But I don't want to discuss this now. It can wait until we get home."

Selina rolled her eyes and stayed silent, but once they had stepped through the front door of their own house, she started talking again. "If you were bored, may I remind you that you didn't _have_ to come!"

"Oh, but you don't seem to understand that I _did_," Elijah replied, backing her up against the wall. "I most definitely did!"

"Why?" Selina asked. "If this is about what happened with Klaus and I while you were immobilized, you should be over that already! I admit I fucked up then, but I've been good the last several years! Shouldn't that count for something? You should _trust _me by now, instead of acting like a controlling, jealous crazy person!"

His eyes flashed, he grabbed her, and kissed her hard. "I can't!" He replied when he pulled away and held her at arms' length.

"But why not?" Selina asked. "Why the hell is it so hard?"

Elijah said nothing, but picked her up and carried her to their room, laying her on the bed and undressing her, running his hands over her body. "The idea of my brother even laying a finger on you angers me more than you can possibly comprehend," he told her. "I think of you as mine. The thought that I came so close to losing you...I don't like to think about it. And so any time you and my brother are together, even though you _have_ behaved yourself for the last several years, in the back of my mind, I always fear that there is a chance I'll lose you if you and my brother are allowed alone together again. Do you understand?"

Selina looked up at his intense dark eyes and nodded wordlessly. She then reached up and put a hand on his cheek. He grabbed hold of it and kissed it. Then kissed up her arm, and her shoulders, and finally her lips, before pulling away and undressing himself. Then, he put restraining hands on her shoulders and gazed down at her again. "Tell me you want me," he whispered.

Selina nodded. "I want you," she replied. "I'll always want you, Elijah. Cause when I'm with you, when we're together, everything I feel, it stays with me afterward. And that hasn't happened with anyone else. With other people, I would be with them, and when we weren't together, the good things I would feel would just go away. So I'd be with them again and again and again, hoping that just once, I would be able to keep feeling what I felt, but it never worked, until I met you. So even if I can't stop you from worrying about me and Klaus, I want you to know that he's never made me feel what you do. Not once. Not really. That's why it's been so easy for me to be good the last several years, and why you shouldn't feel like you have to worry ever again. I love you, Elijah."

At that, a slow smile spread over his face. He released his hold on her, buried himself deep inside her, and swallowed her shriek of joy with a kiss.


	3. Three Or More Is A Crowd

Selina knocked on Elijah's office door and took a deep breath. She had something to tell him and she wasn't sure how he was gonna take it.

"Come in!" He called. She opened the door and strode to his desk. "May I have a seat?" She asked. "I have something I would like to discuss with you. That is, if you're not busy. If you are, I can wait."

Elijah looked up and shook his head. "No," he said. "Don't be silly. Have a seat. What is it you want to tell me?"

Selina cleared her throat and leaned forward. "You might have objections to what I'm about to tell you, but just hear me out before you say anything, all right?"

"Okay..." Elijah replied. "What's going on?"

"Well," Selina cleared her throat again. "The president of our neighborhood association has stepped down and I've been nominated to replace her. Everyone thought I would do a good job since I'm a small business owner and am very aware of the problems around here. I was thinking of taking them up on their offer, but wanted to discuss it with you first. What do you say?"

"I'm impressed," Elijah told her. "I never thought you to be the political type."

"Well, yeah, I have been," Selina nodded. "A lot of the time."

"If you want to take over the neighborhood association, go ahead," he told her. "I support you."

"Really?" Selina asked. That hadn't been the answer she was expecting.

"Really," Elijah affirmed. "If it will give you something to do with yourself while the kids are all at school while allowing you to demonstrate dedication to your civic duty, I'm all for it."

"Well, thank you!" Selina replied. "I'm gonna go to a meeting tomorrow to announce my candidacy and then we'll have a meet and greet at the house in about a week so I can discuss my positions with people, okay?"

"All right," Elijah nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

A few days later, Elijah was talking to the kids, telling them about Selina's candidacy and asking their help with it.

"And I trust you'll be home to help your mother with her campaign get together on Friday night?" Elijah asked, looking pointedly at Laura. "She'd really appreciate your support."

"I would love to," Laura replied. "But I have a date that night."

Elijah stiffened. "You do? With whom? Have I met this boy?"

"Not yet," Laura shook her head. "But he's coming to pick me up, so you can meet him then if you promise to be cool and not scare him off."

"Well, that just depends on what kind of a boy he is," Elijah told her. "It could be that it would be best for you if I scared him off."

"Not this again, Dad," Laura pleaded. "Please! This guy I have a date with, he never asks out girls my age! You usually have to be at least a senior before he even looks at you!"

"Oh?" Elijah asked, his interest peaked. "Just how old is this young man?"

"He's a senior," Laura replied. "But he's really, really responsible, I promise. He has a driver's license with a clean record_ and _his own car!"

"What sort of car?" Elijah asked.

"Well," Laura admitted, "it's not really a car. It's more like a restored VW bus, but-"

"No!" Elijah replied immediately. "I will_ not _have you riding around alone with boys in cars that have big backseats!"

"Mom!" Laura pleaded. "Make him be cool!"

"Let's at least meet him first," Selina suggested to Elijah. "If you meet him and he still doesn't pass inspection _then_ you can tell Laura she can't date him."

"Fine," Elijah replied.

She looked at Laura. "That's about as fair as I can be, sweetie. I've had too many bad romantic experiences that I want to save you from repeating to be_ too _liberal."

Laura rolled her eyes and strode off. Parents, she thought. Sometimes they could be_ so _annoying!

* * *

"Dad," Colin asked Elijah grumpily on the night of Selina's meet and greet. "How long do I have to hand out stuff to people? And wear this suit? And why doesn't _Laura_ have to help?"

"Because she might be having a date tonight," Elijah told him. "Thus, she'll be otherwise occupied. And as for the suit, it's not that bad. You have to look presentable for the people coming. How you act and how you look reflects on your mother and you want her to look good, don't you?"

"Yeah," Colin sighed. "I guess." He resumed passing out appetizers to the people who had come to support Selina while fervently wishing that he was somewhere else.

When the doorbell rang, Laura and Elijah both ran for it.

"Elijah!" Called Selina when she saw. "At least let Laura answer the door." Laura opened it and saw a group of Colin's friends standing on the front step. "Hi," said one of them. "We're gonna go play a game of ball in the park. Can Colin come with us?"

Colin heard that, put his tray down, and ran to the door. "Can I, Dad? Please?"

"I don't know," Elijah said.

"Mom!" Colin called. "Can I go and play ball with my friends?"

"Sure," Selina called back. "You've done your duty tonight and I'm very grateful."

"Thank you!" Colin replied. He gave Elijah a smile. "Bye, Dad!" He said, and was out of the house like a shot.

Elijah and Laura waited on either side of the door after that, both their bodies full of tension. When the doorbell rang again, Elijah managed to pull it open and see a handsome but unwashed looking boy in dirty clothes standing on the other side of the door.

"Ricky!" Laura cried, running at him.

"Hey, babe," he replied. "Wanna come get in my bus and I'll take you where the magic is?"

"Okay," Laura nodded and giggled. She made her way toward him, but Elijah stopped her. "I'm afraid Laura won't be going anywhere with you tonight."

Ricky's face darkened. "Says who?" he asked.

"I'm her father," Elijah replied. "And I'm not gonna let her go." He pushed the boy backward so that he fell, yelling, down the front steps and slammed the door on him.

"Dad!" Laura complained. "That was totally uncalled for! Did you not hear me say earlier that Ricky never asks out girls my age? Do you have any idea what this could have done for my reputation?!"

"Yes," Elijah replied. "I do. And now that you will no longer be going out tonight, you can spend the rest of it in your room thinking about what are good life choices and what are bad life choices. Here's a hint for you: that boy would be a bad one. You'll thank me later for doing what I did."

Laura gave her father a look of pure hatred and then stomped up to her room, making sure to slam her door as loudly as she possibly could.

"What was that about?" Selina asked Elijah when she heard it. "Did you two have a difference of opinion that she's not too happy about?"

"I saw her date," Elijah replied. "It wouldn't have ended well for either of them. He was unclean, he wore leather, and he called her 'babe'." He shuddered. "Naturally, Laura thought I acted rashly when I tossed him from our front door, so she's sulking."

"You tossed him away?" Selina asked. "Are you sure that was a good idea? You could have used more restraint."

"I _did_ use restraint," Elijah replied. "I wanted so badly to kill him, but didn't because I didn't want to ruin your party. Murder tends to do that, I've noticed."

"I guess you're right," Selina nodded. "I'll go talk to her later."

"All right," Elijah nodded. "You don't worry about it now, though. You just enjoy yourself."

Selina nodded. "All right," She replied.

About half an hour later, the doorbell rang a third time. Thinking that it was Laura's date again, Elijah tensed before opening the door, but started when he saw a well-dressed, neat-looking young man with short dark hair and glasses standing on the other side and holding a briefcase.

"Hello, there," he greeted Elijah, shaking his hand. "My name is Edward Emerson and I'm doing a report on the small town electoral process. I thought this would be a great event to see."

He smiled and Elijah stared at him in wonder. Then, he reached out and pinched the boy on the shoulder.

"Ow," the boy replied.

"Sorry," Elijah apologized. "I just wanted to make sure you were real. Come in and make yourself comfortable and once you've done that, there's someone I want you to meet."

Once the boy was settled, Elijah ran up to Laura's room and knocked on the door. "Come in," Laura called warily. Elijah opened the door and poked his head in. "Can we talk?"

"I would like that," Laura responded. "Cause we've never actually just _talked_ about anything, you know? Mostly, you just yell at me. You don't even listen to what I have to say."

"I know I might come across as an ogre now," Elijah told her. "But when you're older and wiser, you'll thank me for my actions."

Laura rolled her eyes. "You said we were gonna talk," she told him. "This is not talking! This is you telling me what to do again!"

"If you'll come downstairs, there's someone I want you to meet," Elijah told her. "I think you'll like him."

"'Him'?" Laura replied, feeling horrified. "You didn't like my date so you went and _found_ one for me? That is so lame!"

"Don't say that until you've met him," Elijah told her. "You never know. You could find him nice."

Laura rolled her eyes. "Is that the only way I'll be allowed out of my room tonight?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "But it's still your choice."

Sighing, she hopped off her bed and followed Elijah downstairs. "Okay," she said. "Where is he?"

Elijah strode up to Edward and gestured grandly. "Ta-da! Edward, I would like you to meet my daughter, Laura. Laura, this is Edward."

"I know him," Laura replied as Edward stared up at her and turned bright red. "He goes to school with me." She looked down at Edward. "Hey," she said, her voice flat.

He wouldn't meet her eyes. "Hello, Laura," he mumbled.

Elijah grinned with satisfaction. "I think I'll leave the two of you to get reacquainted and go see if your mother needs help with anything, all right?"

"Hey," Laura told Edward once her father was gone. "Sorry my father pulled you into this. I don't blame you, and if you want to leave, you can. You don't need to stay here just for me."

Edward met her eyes now. "I actually didn't come for you," he said. "I came here get information for my report on the electoral process. You know, the one that's due in a few days. Have you even started yours? Cause if you haven't, you probably should." Then he got up and strode off to talk to Selina, leaving Laura alone on the sofa.

* * *

"Katherine!" Gregory explained in surprise when he saw her on the other side of the door. "What are you doing here?" He felt lightness in himself. "Have you come to stay?"

"No, but I thought about what you said regarding how I have things in common with the girls here," Katherine replied. "And I think you're right, so I've decided to help them. And how about you take a night off? You deserve it. Go out and drink, maybe make yourself a friend, and I'll handle things here. Don't you worry." She grinned.

"Would you really be willing to hold down the fort tonight?" He asked. Then his eyes narrowed. "Or are you up to something?"

"Me?" Katherine replied innocently. "What could I possibly be up to? I just want to do what I can to give back to the community."

"I get that," Gregory replied. "But that's not typical behavior for you, so you can't blame me for being suspicious."

Katherine strode into the house and backed him up against the wall. "You can go," she said, stroking his cheek with her finger. "Or you can stay here. We can both get drunk and then see what happens. Wouldn't you like that, Gregory?"

Gregory was disconcerted for a moment, then he pushed her hand off his face. "No," he told her. "I have to set a good example and so do you. I'll be taking this." He took the beer from her and went to put it in the garbage.

"Hey!" She replied, running after him. "I spent money on that!"

"No you didn't," Gregory replied. "I bet you stole it just like you do everything else just because you can." When they reached the trash can, she pushed him hard against it. "Give me that," she demanded, trying to wrest the beer from his grip. "Give it to me and let me go back inside!"

They fought over it until it fell to the ground and several bottles broke, letting beer flow onto the concrete. "Great," Katherine scoffed. "Just great. Now it's all ruined!"

"Good," Gregory nodded with satisfaction. "Now you can go back in and actually be a good example.

"Yeah, right," Katherine chuckled and started to stride away. Gregory grabbed her and pulled her toward him. "Look at me, Katerina," he said. When she wouldn't, he gave her a sound slap across the face so her eyes finally met his. "If you choose to misbehave," he told her, "I will not have you anywhere near here, do you understand me? If you want to be a wanton whore, that's your prerogative, but you'll do it some place else!" He then pushed her to the ground so that she was face down in the dirt. "Now that you're no longer a worry to me, I think I'll have that break, like you suggested," he smiled to himself as she got up from the ground frowning, her face covered with dirt. "Good evening, Katerina."

But as he sat at the bar of a nearby restaurant, drinking one martini after another, he started to think that maybe he'd been a bit harsh with her. He got himself off the bar stool and stumbled out to his car. He drove back to his house and when he didn't see Katherine there, he went to hers. He meant to take his usual parking spot in the driveway, but it was already occupied by a black Jetta. Feeling irritated, he bumped the back of the car until it was thoroughly dented, then got out of his car and strode into her house.

"Katerina!" He yelled, his voice slurring. "I'm home!"

He looked around. She was nowhere in sight, but the house was an absolute mess. Trash covered every surface. Without thinking, Gregory automatically began picking it up, and when he reached the kitchen, he heard loud giggling coming from a room nearby. Dropping all the trash he held, he ran for the door and forced it open, finding himself face to face with Katherine, who was drinking in bed with three or four other men running their hands and tongues over her naked body.

"Katerina!" Gregory yelled again. He ran to the bed and began breaking the necks of every single man he could get his hands on, and soon, Katherine was alone in the bed. He looked at her for a brief moment and when she opened her mouth to speak, he put his hands around her neck and began choking her until she passed out on the bed, bruises clear on her neck.

He waited until she opened her eyes, and then began banging her head against the headboard. "Stop!" She cried as he shook her. "Gregory, stop!"

"No!" He growled. "I don't have to show mercy to you!" He snapped her neck and left her curled up in a ball on the bed. "Have a nice night alone, Katerina," he told her. "And I'd advise you to do something about these bodies as soon as possible. It's not good to leave them sitting around too long."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he strode out of the house, got in his car, and drove away.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked Felicity as he came into her room and saw her putting things in a duffel bag.

"I'm packing," Felicity replied. "I have to leave for New Orleans right away."

"Why do you have to go there?" Stefan asked. "Is this about your parents? Why can't you just let that go?"

"I would have if they would have just died or something and that's why they didn't raise me, but Stefan, my dad gave me up!" Felicity replied. "You can't blame me for wanting to march up to him and ask why. And I've wanted to meet Helene for years. This is the perfect time!"

"What do you know about your parents really?" Stefan asked. "You could be marching up to complete strangers! You've seen them once in your whole life!"

"I can still find them," Felicity replied. "I remember what Helene looks like and I got Adrian's picture from Grandma's wallet."

"So what are you gonna do when you find him?" Stefan asked. "Are you gonna beat him up?"

"Well, no," Felicity shook her head. "But I think I at least deserve to know why he gave me up. Nothing other than that, though. I feel no need whatsoever to actually bond with him. I already have a father."

"If you're actually gonna do this," Stefan told her, "I'm coming with you."

"No," Felicity shook her head. "What are you gonna do while I look? I'm eighteen, Stefan. I don't need to be babysat!"

"I'm not coming to babysit you!" Stefan replied. "I'm coming to drink! Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Felicity sighed. "I guess not," she said. "Come on." They both finished packing and then went to see Klaus. She cleared her throat and he looked up. "Yes?" He asked.

"I just came to say goodbye," Felicity told him. "And that I promise to be safe and come back soon."

"Where are you planning on going?" Klaus asked.

"New Orleans," Felicity replied. "I want to find my parents."

"Why?" Klaus asked her. "Why do you feel you need to do that?"

"I just want to find out from your son why he gave me up, that's all," She replied. "I don't want to actually bond with him or anything. I promise you won't lose me. And Stefan's coming too, so It's not like I'm going alone."

"You agreed to support her in this madness?" Klaus asked Stefan. "Traitor!"

"No, I'm not!" Stefan shot back. "If I didn't agree to go with her, she'd have gone by herself anyway, and we both know _that's_ not a good idea."

"Nothing will happen to me," Felicity assured Klaus. "I promise."

"You don't know that!" Klaus replied. "You don't know what either of the two people you want to meet are actually like! It could end up being a bad situation for you and you wouldn't know a thing about it."

"I think I'll be okay," Felicity replied. "I was sired by your son and raised by you, so given those two facts, along with my connection with mom and my real mom who was apparently a big pain in the butt, I should be all right. Would you please just trust me?"

Klaus sighed. "I'm not happy about this at all," he told her. "But there's nothing I can say that will stop you from going, is there?"

"No," Felicity shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Fine," Klaus told her. "Go." She ran off and Stefan started to follow her, but Klaus put a hand tight on his shoulder, squeezing hard enough to cause Stefan to wince. "You watch her carefully," he warned. "Because if anything happens to her, something just as bad or worse will happen to you."


	4. On A Mission

"Here we are at my grandmother's house," Lenora said to Henry. "Are you happy? You've been nagging me about this forever. You saw Margaret only a couple of days ago, and you're acting like we don't let you see her at all."

"Ow!" Henry cried from the backseat. "Mom, Susanna bit me again!"

"Then don't do whatever it is you're doing to irritate her if you know she bites when she gets annoyed," Lenora told him. "It's _not_ a hard thing to learn."

Henry gave his sister a sour glance and scowled at the red skin and teeth marks on his arm. "Mom," He said to Lenora, "Can we give Susanna to your grandma and bring Margaret to be my sister instead? I would like that much better."

"No, we are *not* going to give your sister away," Lenora told him. "Just try harder to get along with her. Can you do that? You have to set a good example for her."

"Why do I have to do that?" Henry asked.

"Cause maybe if you did, she wouldn't bite so much!" Lenora responded. She parked the car in Selina's driveway, got Susanna and Henry out of the car, and went to knock on the door. Selina let them in and while his mother and sister were settling in the kitchen, Henry got Selina's attention. "Come here," he said.

"What is it?" Selina asked. He took a couple of grubby dollar bills from his pocket along with two quarters and showed them to her. "If you take Susanna to live with you and let us have Margaret, you can have_ all _this money. Okay?" He gave Selina his cutest grin and waited for her answer.

Selina began to smile and he thought for sure that meant that he'd be rid of his sister forever, but then she tousled his hair and shook her head. "Sorry, kid. It's been a long time since two dollars and fifty cents bought anything _really_ worth having."

She started to walk away and he ran after her. "How much money do you want?" He called. "I bet if I asked Mommy, she'd give me more!"

Selina turned. "I bet she wouldn't," she replied. She came and got on her knees next to him. "What do you want to get rid of your sister so bad for, anyway? It can't be that awful living with her."

"It _is_!" Henry replied earnestly. "She's mean and she bites and she spends all the time with Daddy so I don't get any!"

"So spend time with your mom, then," Selina suggested. "I'm sure she'd appreciate it and you'd get all the attention."

"But Mommy's no fun!" Henry replied, stomping his foot. "She makes me clean my room and eat my vegetables. Daddy doesn't do that!"

"Well, she's just trying to take care of you so that you can be healthy and the best pirate you can be," Selina told him. "You can't be mad at her for that, can you?"

"No," Henry shook his head. "I guess not. Where's Margaret?"

"Right here, Henry!" Margaret called. He turned. She was standing at the edge of the kitchen, a book in both her arms and smiling. "Wanna come read with me?"

"Well, I wouldn't if anyone _else_ asked," Henry told her. "But I will for _you_."

Margaret nodded and put a few cookies in a sandwich bag. "We can have a snack while we read," she said. "Would you hold them while I hold the book?"

Henry smiled and nodded. "It would be my pleasure," he replied and gave a little bow. Margaret giggled and then the two of them headed of to her room.

"Is it just me, or are those two really cute together?" Selina asked.

"I'm really grateful he took to her," Lenora replied. "He could use a good influence in his life that he actually feels like listening to. As he said, I'm not it. I'm just a big nag."

Selina eyed her sad look for a few seconds and said "That's the price you pay for having kids with a guy who's fun and loose. That means you have to be the bad cop."

"So you've felt like this?" Lenora asked. "You know what I'm talking about?"

"Oh, yes," Selina nodded. "When I first found out I was pregnant with your dad, that was a _big_ worry of mine. It turned out all right in the end, but for a while, I didn't think it would."

"And then Daddy went off the deep end and it was all ruined," Lenora finished morosely.

"Yes, well," Selina replied, "You've turned out well-adjusted and happy enough in spite of that. I'm proud of you."

"Do your kids _still_ resent you?" Lenora asked. "Or is it even a worry for you anymore?"

"It was when I was married to your grandfather," Selina told her. "But now I've learned a trick: all you gotta do is find a really straitlaced guy who lays down the law, and then _you_ become the one that everyone likes!"

Lenora smirked. "I don't think I'm ever gonna want to be with anyone other than James, so I guess I'll just have to suck it up, try my hardest to get along with my kids and hope they warm up to me as they get older."

"Of course they will," Selina assured her. "I know it sucks to have to wait, but sometimes, that's all you can do."

Lenora nodded and then went to put Susanna down for a nap. When she returned, she and Selina drank coffee in silence for a few more minutes and then her cell phone rang. Lenora looked at the number, then back at Selina. "Oh, my god," she replied. "It's my mom. What could _she _want to talk to me about?" She got up off her chair and headed into another room. "What is it, Mom?" She asked.

"It's Felicity," Helene replied, worry in her voice. "She's here in New Orleans, I saw her. I'm okay wth it, of course, but I have no idea how your father will react. What do you think I should do?"

"Don't tell me she was stupid enough to come alone," Lenora said.

"No," Helene replied. "She has Stefan with her."

"Good!" Lenora replied. "Let them in the house and then when Dad comes home, don't say anything about Felicity yet. Tell him that Stefan is there to visit and drink or whatever, and then once they're gone, you can be alone with Felicity and tell her what's what. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Helene nodded. "I think I can." As they talked, one of the housemaids approached her and told her there was someone at the door. She got up, still talking on the phone, and went to open the door, surprised to see Stefan and Felicity on the other side. "I gotta go," Helene told Lenora. "Goodbye, dear."

* * *

"So what did my dad say to you?" Felicity asked Stefan as they stood on Helene and Adrian's front step. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Stefan shrugged. "Just the usual threatening to kill me if I don't watch you like a hawk. The same bull he's been saying for years."

"I won't let him kill you," Felicity assured him. "If he wants to kill you, he'll have to kill me too, and we know he doesn't want to do that."

"That _is_ reassuring to me," Stefan told her. They'd driven to the airport earlier that day and gone inside, finding a flight to New Orleans and forcing their way on it. Felicity had asked for the window seat.

"Sure," Stefan had said and sat beside her while she peered out the window. "You know, you're taking this awfully calmly for someone who's doing something that could potentially change their life."

Felicity had turned to look at him. "It won't change my life," She'd told him firmly. "All I want with my birth father is to find out why the hell he left me. And maybe to thank him for leaving me with someone better suited for the job of raising me than he was. This isn't gonna change anything between me and Dad. Was he worried about that?"

"I think he was," Stefan had nodded. "It was between you getting hurt or killed and you abandoning him for your birth father."

"He has no reason to worry about that!" Felicity exclaimed. "I'm gonna come back once I get through this. It's not even gonna take me very long."

"I would hope not," Stefan replied. "But New Orleans is a great city! Even after you finish up things with your parents, it would be a shame to just pack up and go home before we've taken the time to do anything. You're almost eighteen, this is the first time your father's let you go on a plane, why don't you let yourself have an adventure?"

"Because I don't want Daddy worry!" Felicity replied. "You know what happens when he worries!"

Stefan shrugged. "Who says he's gonna have anything to worry about?" He asked. "He knows you're with me and that should be enough for him. We can do what we want and when we talk to him, we'll just lie about what we did."

"I don't know," Felicity said hesitantly.

"Although I suppose if you're scared of fun then we can just do what we came for and then leave," Stefan told her. "There's always that option. Then you can go home to Daddy and tuck yourself in bed, and afterward, you'll just think about the opportunity you had and wasted."

Felicity stared at him for a few seconds, then said, "I think I can stand staying for a bit. Let's do it!"

Stefan grinned. "There you go!" He replied. "That's what I wanted to hear!" They'd raced each other off the plane and had through the airport to get their bags. They'd then gone outside and Stefan had asked, "So where are we going from here? You _do know_, don't you?"

"Of course I know!" Felicity had told him. "I have an address for god's sake. I'm not stupid!" She'd put down the bags she held and took one of Helene's letters out of her purse. "There's a return address on the envelope," She said. "I think we should start there."

They reached the general area of the house a little bit, but realized they'd need help finding the actual address. They'd gone up to a woman standing inside the door of a small shop that sold herbs for spells. The windows had been boarded up and the shop itself was dark.

"Could you help us?" Felicity asked. "We're looking for this address and we don't really know where to go from here."

The woman, who had dark hair, pale skin and dark eyes, began to mutter, her eyes widening, once she read the name and address on the note Felicity handed her.

"What's the matter?" Felicity had asked as the woman collapsed to the ground. "Can I help you?"

"No," She'd shaken her head. "No, you stay away! You're _his_ spawn, aren't you? Don't you touch me!" She'd gotten up and disappeared into the shop, slamming the door behind her.

Felicity looked at Stefan. "Apparently, Adrian's made quite an impression around here, and not for anything good. That's something I'm glad I'm prepared for."

"You seem surprised by that when you shouldn't be," Stefan had told her as they'd continued to walk down the street. "I mean, what he's doing is probably just as bad as what your dad does."

Felicity had paused abruptly at that and he'd bumped into her. "Oh, my god," she'd cried. "I never thought of that, but you're right!" She'd turned around. "Do you think it was a bad idea to come here?"

"Possibly," Stefan had nodded. "But it's a little too late to ask that now. Just keep walking."

Felicity had agreed, and they continued to walk. It was hard to find anything here because there were hardly any street signs, and none of the houses had visible addresses. Also, anyone who looked at them ran away screaming soon after, so they couldn't ask for help. Finally, Felicity saw a big house ahead of them. "Let's go there and ask for directions," she'd panted. "Or at least see if they'll let us rest. I'm so tired I think I'll keel over if I have to walk much more."

"Here, just a minute," Stefan had told her. "I think I might be able to help." He came to stand in front of her. "Get on my back," he instructed. "I'll carry you."

"Oh, no!" Felicity had shaken her head. "It's not necessary. You don't have to."

"I want to," Stefan had told her. "It's the only way we'll get anywhere."

"You know, you're right," Felicity had nodded. "Thank you, Stefan." She shrunk the bags until they were small enough to all fit in her purse, then put her purse over her shoulder and let Stefan piggyback her all the way to the big house.

When they reached the front steps, he let her down and they walked up them and rang the old-fashioned doorbell. Felicity started as the sound of the bell echoed through the house.

Stefan reached out for her hand and squeezed it tight as they waited for someone to come to the door. When it finally opened, a nervous and twitchy young woman with sunken eyes and waxen skin was staring at them. "Y-yes?" She asked. "W-w-what do you want?"

"We need directions to somewhere," Felicity asked her. "And is it all right if we come in and rested for a bit? We've been walking around all day."

"J-just a minute," the woman stuttered and disappeared.

A few seconds later, the door opened again, and to Felicity's surprise and relief, the person on the other side was someone she recognized. Helene smiled when she saw them, but she was chatting on the phone to someone while holding the door open. "Thank you, Lenora," she finished, hanging up. "Sorry about that," she told them.

"It's all right," Felicity replied. "Hello, Helene."

Helene hugged her hard. "I'm so glad to see you!" She let her go and looked at Stefan. "Thanks for bringing her."

"She was wondering if it was a good idea for her to come," Stefan replied as they headed inside. "The locals seem a bit skittish."

"Oh, I don't blame them," Helene replied. "Adrian keeps pretty tight control on what they can and can't do with their magic."

"But why?" Felicity asked. "Why can't you just let them be? And will I be in trouble once Adrian finds out I'm here?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine," Helene assured her. "It's just full witches Adrian has a problem with. Witches who are like I used to be before I..._changed_." She said this last word with a bitter look on her face. "Now I've got no powers at all, so it's not like he can be mad at me." She scowled and then cheered up as she considered her younger daughter. "_You_ still have your powers, don't you?" She asked eagerly. "And may I say that you grew up very well."

"Thank you," Felicity replied. "I did, didn't I? In spite of being abandoned by _both_ my parents."

"I didn't even know you were gone until after it happened," Helene told her. "There are _some_ things in your young life that I can be blamed for, but not wanting you is _not_ one of them, I promise."

"What _is _then?" Felicity asked. Helene started to explain and then the back door opened. "Helene?!" Adrian called. "I'm home! Are you here?"

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Katherine?" Gregory asked.

"Yeah," Katherine replied. "I want to talk about what you did to me yesterday. I think I deserve an apology."

Gregory scoffed. "An apology? You think I should apologize to you after that scene I witnessed yesterday? It was atrocious!"

"So what you're telling me," Katherine told him, a grin curving her lips as she circled him, "Is that me with a bunch of other guys in my bed bothers you."

"Yes, damn you!" Gregory answered. "It does. And if you do that again, I'll make sure that no other man comes near you. Permanently."

"Permanently?" Katherine asked. "I really don't think you'd go that far, Gregory. Your daddy would be very disappointed in you if you did."

Gregory heard this remark and started laughing. "The moment my father threw me out of his house and even before that, I ceased caring what he thought. So if you think he'll stop me from doing whatever I see fit if you displease me, you're sorely mistaken."

"You really know how to woo a woman," Katherine told him. "Sweetness and threats. Be still my heart."

Gregory grinned wolfishly. "That can be arranged if you wish it," he assured her.

"Oh, please," Katherine laughed. "You'd _never_ murder anyone. Not even me, cause you love me too much. You don't have it in you."

"Oh, I think I do, Katerina," Gregory responded. He grabbed her. "I just need the proper... _motivation_." They were in her living room. He pushed her against the wall and held her there so she couldn't move, then sank his fangs into her neck, relishing her shriek and savoring her warm, sweet and salty blood as it flowed into his mouth and down his throat. When he pulled away, he expected her to be angry, but she was grinning instead.

"How do I taste?" She asked, scooping some of the excess blood off her neck with her finger. "Am I good?" She offered her finger to him. "Why don't you have another taste."

"No, thank you," he told her. "I can't have too much. It's terribly unhealthy for me. Too much junk food would go straight to my hips. Now, if there's nothing you want other than an apology, which you will _not_ be getting, I think I'll be on my way."

"Fine," Katherine replied. "Go. Go murder all the people in the world just to prove to me that you can. I'd love to see you try, even though I know you can't."

* * *

When Gregory returned to the house several minutes later, he found a girl, bleeding and bruised in one of the upstairs rooms. "Oh, my god!" He breathed. "What's happened to you?" He got down next to her and held up her head as blood frothed out of her mouth.

"My husband," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "He found me, he got in here and he did this. I thought he was gonna kill me. I wish he had."

Gregory looked down at her badly injured body. "Do you want me to call a doctor?" he asked, even though he sensed she didn't have much time left.

She coughed. "No," she said. "It wouldn't do any good. Just kill me, please."

"But I can't," he told her.

"Please," she said. "You'll be doing me a favor."

Gregory gave the girl a long look. She was badly broken and correct. Even if she was sent to the hospital, she wouldn't live long. He shut his eyes, went to the kitchen drawer, grabbed a knife, and deftly slit her throat. She fell backwards from her sitting position and lay still, blood trickling from the wound. After taking a few minutes to compose himself, he took her outside and buried her body in the yard. After he finished filling in the grave, he took a deep breath and sat back to stare at it. He'd had to kill this girl. There was no other way around it. She would have died anyway, and what he did had been merciful. But as he thought of the man who'd caused her to be that way, his muscles tensed and his fangs lengthened. Gregory would visit him also, but in his case, his death would _not _be merciful. It would be slow and painful, every once as awful as the pain he had inflicted on the poor girl whose life he had ruined.

Gregory stood up and steeled himself, his resolve firm. Katherine had told him that he would never be able to kill anyone. But he could and he would, and who knew? If this kill was successful, he might just develop a taste for it.


	5. A Reluctant Reunion

"Oh, god!" Felicity said to Helene. "Is that him? What should I do?"

"Hide!" Helene suggested, urgency in her voice. "I'll get Adrian accustomed to the idea of you being here and then it will be safe for you to come out!" She looked at Stefan. "You can stay."

Felicity went to hide and then Stefan sat calmly on the sofa.

"Helene?" Adrian called again. "Are you home?"

"Yes!" Helene called back. "I'm here. Stefan is too!"

Adrian poked his head into the living room and grinned. "Stefan!" He cried, embracing his father's friend. "It's been too long! Why haven't you come to visit me sooner?"

Stefan shrugged. "I've been a little busy, but I'm here now. Wannna show me where a good spot to drink would be?"

"Sure," Adrian nodded. "Wanna go now?"

He and Stefan left soon after and then Helene went to get Felicity. "You can come out now," she said.

"Did you tell him about me?" Felicity asked. "Please tell me you did. It would be ridiculous to be running around and hiding in closets the entire time I'm here so he won't see me."

"Don't worry," Helene told her. "I'll tell him tonight when he gets back."

When Adrian and Stefan got back from the bar that night, they were both drunk. Adrian pulled Helene into their bedroom and began stripping off her clothes. His kisses felt good, as usual, but Helene knew she couldn't let this go on until she'd told him about Felicity.

"Hey, hey, hey!" She cried. "Can we focus for a minute? I have something I need to talk to you about."

"No!" Adrian groaned. "Sex now. Talk later."

"It can't wait!" Helene told him. "If I wait and tell you later, you'll just accuse me of keeping stuff from you and being malicious."

"Fine," Adrian told her. "What is it?"

"It's Felicity," Helene told him. "You remember, the daughter you didn't want? She's here now, in our house. I just thought you'd want to know."

Adrian's eyes widened and he let her go. "Is she really here right now?" He asked. "When did she arrive?"

"She came with Stefan," Helene replied. "Why are you so happy to see her? I thought you didn't care about her at all!"

"Well, now that I know she won't be turning into god knows what every two seconds like she did when she was a baby, I could get used to the idea of having her around," Adrian replied. "Where is she?"

"Around," Helene replied. "I told her to stay out of sight until I told you that she was here."

Adrian dressed and headed out of the room. "Where is she?" He asked. "I want to see her."

"You're drunk," Helene told him. "You shouldn't do anything but go to bed. I'll talk to Felicity and if she wants to, she'll see you in the morning." She tried to get him to go back to bed, but he wouldn't and he was stronger than she was. "Fine," she sighed. "Sit on the bed and I'll bring her in to tell you good night, okay?"

"All right," Adrian nodded.

After looking around a bit, Helene found Felicity. "So did you tell him?" Felicity asked. "Does he know I'm here?"

"Yeah," Lenora nodded. "And he's okay with it. He wants to see you."

"Well, you can tell him that I don't want to see him," Felicity replied. "At least not now, anyway."

"I think you should at least tell him goodnight," Helene told her. "I know you don't want to, and I know he doesn't really deserve it, but he won't go to bed until he sees you."

"Fine," Felicity rolled her eyes and followed Helene out. "I'll say good night, but I won't do anything more than that."

They went to Helene and Adrian's bedroom where Adrian was sitting at the edge of the bed. Helene stayed by the door, and Felicity cautiously approached him. "Adrian?" She said, "I'm Felicity."

He looked at her for a moment and then smiled. "You look like me," he said. "You're very pretty."

"Thanks," Felicity replied. "I'm gonna go to bed now. Goodnight, Adrian." She turned and headed toward Helene and out the door. Helene closed it behind her.

"Why did she have to go?" Adrian asked. "I wanted to talk!"

"It's late," Helene told him. "She needs to get to sleep and so do we. You can talk to her in the morning."

"Well, okay," Adrian replied. "I guess that will be all right." He lay down and closed his eyes.

"Hey!" Helene shouted, just for fun. "I thought we were gonna have sex!"

"Maybe later," Adrian replied. "Now I'm too tired." He shut his eyes and was soon asleep. Helene smiled, rolled her eyes, shut off the light, and climbed into bed next to him, knowing that he was gonna be in a bad mood tomorrow and that it had been good she'd told him about Felicity now.

* * *

"Grandfather?" Gregory asked when he opened the door and saw Mikael on the other side. "Come in. What brings you here?"

Mikael stepped in and shrugged. "I just wanted to see where you were, boy, since you don't live with your parents anymore."

"That's only because Father couldn't handle me," Gregory replied darkly. "Apparently, I'm not good enough for him anymore."

"Why is that?" Mikael asked. "What is it that you've done?"

Gregory sat down and cleared his throat. "Well, you know my mother comes from a werewolf family don't you? Well, I've activated my gene and apparently, Father found that worrisome and told me that the only way I could stay in his house was to restrain myself during full moons so I wouldn't kill anyone. It wasn't to my taste to do that, so he told me to leave and I did. I've disappointed you, haven't I?"

Mikael sighed. "I wouldn't say that," he told him. "My standards are different from your father's and it would take a different sort of misdeed to displease me."

He looked around at the women who were going in and out. "I have to say I'm proud. You seem to have a good food supply here. And using a home for wayward girls as a cover is genius! You're preying on girls no one will miss, so it's nothing I have to concern myself with."

"Actually," Gregory sighed. "I don't prey on these girls. I help them. Their scoundrel boyfriends and husbands are another story. I took care of a couple just yesterday."

"Were you careful?" Mikael asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "Of course I was careful. Although from what the girls told me about them earlier, now that they're dead, no one really misses them."

"Even so," Mikael warned, "You really should be careful."

"But why?" Gregory asked. "Will you have to come after me if I don't?"

"Maybe," Mikael nodded.

"But why?" Gregory asked. "What would I be doing wrong? I'm only fighting on behalf of people who can't fight back. It's not like Mom, when she was heedlessly murdering anyone she could get her hands on just because she was having a bad decade."

"Your intentions don't matter," Mikael told him firmly. "All people will see is a bunch of dead bodies with vampire marks on them. And though it might take awhile, sooner rather than later, those attacks will be traced to you. People will start to wonder if there really _are_ vampires out there and what the best way to kill them might be. If that happens, it will be all because of you. Because you weren't careful. And do you really want that sort of blame on your shoulders? Especially since you _do_ have such noble intentions? And whether it might seem like it or not, I really don't want to have to devote years and years to hunting you down like I did your mother. So make this easy for me, please, and take to heart what I'm telling you."

"Fine," Gregory said. "I promise I'll be careful."

"Good," Mikael told him. "I'm glad." As a girl passed by him, he grabbed her and sank his fangs into her neck, sucking greedily and causing Gregory to wince. When he was done, he let her go.

"You have no idea I just did that," he told her. "Now go and clean yourself up." He turned back to Gregory who was looking at him with disgust. "What?" He asked. "I was hungry and I haven't fed yet today. She was right there!"

Gregory shook his head. "I can't believe you did that," he said. "I can't believe you lectured me about being careful in regards to who I hunted and how often, and then went and did _that._"

Mikael patted Gregory on the head. "I don't know why I was so worried about you," he said. "With that attitude, I don't think I'm gonna have to worry about you at all. Goodbye, Gregory."

"Goodbye, Grandfather," Gregory replied, his eyes narrowing. "Don't fall down the stairs on your way out. Or do. It doesn't matter to me."

* * *

"Long day?" James asked Lenora as she came into their room. She took a deep breath and nodded, coming to sit next to him on the bed. "I had to stop Henry from trying to sell Susanna to my grandmother in exchange for Margaret, then my mother called and told me that my sister showed up at her and my dad's front door wanting to visit. I have no doubt that *that* won't go well. And then we got back here and it was just one thing after another, no stopping. Let me tell you that we won't be having any other kids any time soon."

James began to rub her shoulders. "Want to play pirate and prisoner, or are you too tired for that?"

Lenora sighed. "I think I just want to rest tonight, if it's all right with you. But I promise that soon we'll dump the kids off somewhere and it'll just be us for at least a weekend, but preferably much longer."

"Well, wonderful," James replied, getting the lights off in the room and closing his eyes. "I look forward to that."

* * *

The next night, Lenora was awake enough for a game of Pirates and Prisoners. Afterward, she felt too worked up to sleep, so she strode around the house for awhile. Then she sat down at the kitchen table, making herself some tea, and thinking about the fact that James used to be an actual pirate and how, for some girls, Pirate and Prisoner hadn't been just a game.

She sighed over her tea. What she wouldn't give to have met him then. It would be marvelous, adventuring with him on the high seas, making love with a man who was full of nothing but raw sexual energy. Then, it occurred to her that she didn't just have to sit here and wish for the past. She could go there herself. She knew how. Not properly, of course, and if she were caught changing history, it would mean big trouble from her grandmother, but maybe if she asked Astrid before she did it, even if it wasn't done properly, there might not be much trouble after all.

She drank her tea, went back to bed, and the next morning, called Astrid.

"Tell me what you want to do again?" Astrid repeated after Lenora made her request.

"I want to go back in time and meet James when he was a pirate," she repeated. "I know it's sort of against the rules because I don't actually know how to do time travel spells properly yet, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I sent Uncle Elijah back in time to meet Grandma Selina when I was eight and no one fussed about it then. This is practically the same thing."

"If you can wait a little bit," Astrid told her, "I might be able to give you the permission you want."

"Why would I have to wait?" Lenora asked. "What would you do while I waited?"

"Well," Astrid told her, "sometimes, trips through time, even if done improperly, are deemed okay because they bring together people who are supposed to be together, but wouldn't have the chance without the trip through time."

"You mean like Uncle Elijah and Grandma Selina?" Lenora asked.

"Yes," Astrid replied. "You and James might be a similar case. I'll have to talk to him about his pirate days just to be sure we're doing the right thing."

"How would my traveling through time assure that James and I will get together now?" Lenora asked. "I didn't even meet him until I was ten. Or eight, or whatever. I forgot how old I was."

"You don't know that that's the first time you met him," Astrid told her. "It may have been before that and you just can't remember it. But we'll see." She hung up, leaving Lenora looking stupefied at the phone. What in the hell was her grandmother talking about? Sighing in exasperation, she set the phone down in the cradle and strode off to warn James about what was to come.

* * *

"Your grandmother wants to talk to me about _what_?" James asked her.

"Your pirate life, I guess," Lenora shrugged. "She thinks it has something to do with why you and I got together in the first place. And if you talk to her and she likes what she hears, then she'll let me go back and meet you."

"Why do you need to go back at all?" James asked. "If you want to know about what I was like when I was a pirate, I'd gladly tell you. You don't have to break a bunch of rules and see it first hand. It wasn't very interesting." He was avoiding meeting her eyes.

"Why don't you want me to go back?" Lenora asked. "Are you worried something bad is gonna happen to me? Cause if you are, I promise I'll be careful."

"It's not that I think something bad will happen to you," James replied. "I just don't want you to go. Shouldn't that be enough of a reason for you to drop this?!" He stomped off, leaving Lenora more curious than ever about why James didn't want her to go.

Despite his anger about her going, he went to talk to Astrid anyway, and she called Lenora about the results of their interview the evening of the day it happened.

"James really doesn't want me to go," Lenora told her. "And he won't tell me why. Did he say anything to you that might give me a hint about why he's so upset?"

Astrid sighed. "Well, yes," she replied. "He told me that he _does_ remember that you managed to get on his ship. You even got him to fall in love with you. But then you and he got so involved that it led his crew to mutiny, and he was left marooned on an island while a Roger Drake took over his ship. You just got to go home when things got bad, but that wasn't the case for him."

"Oh, my god," Lenora replied. "I had no idea! Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I should just forget the whole thing."

"No," Astrid shook her head. "I'm afraid you have to go."

"But you just told me that it will ruin James' life if I do!" Lenora cried. "And what kind of person would I be if I did that to him?"

"I think that it's your ruining his life in the past that gives him the incentive to become the person he does," Astrid told her. "The one who becomes the feared Mr. Black and who swears off love forever. The one who takes one look at you when you're a child and realizes who you are and that he can use you to finally get revenge for what you did to him all those years before. I mean, I know he likes to believe that it was his wife's betrayal that turned him bad, but I really think it was because of you."

"So I have to go back now because that's the only way we'll get together later?" Lenora asked. "Weird!"

"I know," Astrid told her. "Time works in funny ways sometimes. So, when are you planning on leaving for the eighteenth century?"

"I don't know," Lenora replied. "I have to make sure it's on a day where there's not a chance of James finding out and ruining everything. He _really_ doesn't want me to go."

"I'll give him an assignment that will force him to be gone a few days," Astrid told her. "Drop your kids off at Selina's, and then you'll have all the time you need."

"Wow," Lenora replied. "Thanks. I didn't think you'd be so helpful."

"Well," Astrid told her, "That's what you get for asking first in cases like this instead of just going off and doing it by yourself without telling anyone."

"I guess it's good I told you then," Lenora replied. "So, when do you think would be the best time for me to go?"

"Let's say...two days from now," Astrid told her. "Will that work?"

"Yeah," Lenora replied. "Why not?"

* * *

"I don't know about this trip Astrid wants me to take," James told Lenora a few days later. "I'm gonna be gone for such a long time. What if I get bored?"

"You won't get bored!" Lenora assured him. "And she'll probably pay you pretty well for it, so why not go?"

"Because it's only worth doing if we can all go as a family!" James replied. "Are you absolutely sure you can't come?"

"Yes," Lenora nodded without missing a beat. "The kids have school and I have to do stuff here, so you'll have to go by yourself, but that's not a bad thing. It'll be worth going."

"Fine," James told her. "I'll go. But I won't bring you a present."

"I don't need a present," Lenora told him. "You just go and do what you need to do."

She hustled him out the door and soon after he disappeared, the doorbell rang again. Lenora opened the door and ushered Astrid inside.

"Sorry that took so long," Lenora apologized. "He just did _not_ want to go!"

"I think he just didn't want to leave you alone," Astrid replied, smiling at her. "It's kind of cute if you think about it."

"I guess," Lenora replied. "Did you bring what I needed to do the spell?"

"Yes," Astrid replied, holding out a bag. Lenora took it and looked inside. "What is it?" She asked.

"A compass that one of the pirates owned," Astrid replied. "That should be as good a thing as any to get you there."

"Do I want to know how you got this?" Lenora asked.

"No," Astrid shook her head. "Just use it and don't lose it."

Lenora nodded. "Do I need anything else, or is this all?"

"No, that's all if you're not doing it properly," Astrid told her. "Good luck!" She left Lenora alone and Lenora stared down at the compass, then took a piece of paper with the spell written on it out of her pocket. She memorized it, grabbed the compass, closed her eyes, and muttered it under her breath. A cold breeze kicked up around her and she felt herself begin to spin. Finally, she landed hard on a wooden surface. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a room full of barrels with various labels on them: gunpowder, water, etc. Suddenly, the door to the room started to open. She got up and ran to hide behind the barrels. Peeking out over the side of them, she saw someone enter the room, but there was next to no light, so it was hard to make out more than just their form, which was, of course, very masculine. She did her best to stay scrunched up inconspicuously behind the barrels, but suddenly, she felt her arm being yanked hard enough to almost pull it out of the socket, and she found herself face to face with a man.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, his white teeth glinting in the darkness. "Do we have a stowaway here?" A few minutes later, a torch was lit and she got a good look at the man who'd taken hold of her.

"James," she whispered under her breath. He didn't hear her. "How did you get on my ship?" He asked. "Tell me, and I promise I'll be merciful when I kill you."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Lenora said. "If you shut your eyes, I'll give you two reasons to keep me."

"What kind of foolishness is that?" He asked.

"Fine," Lenora told him. "You don't have to shut your eyes, but..." She pulled up her shirt and gave him a good view of her breasts. When she put her shirt down again, she saw that he seemed a little stunned. Then, his tongue poked out and ran over his top lip. "So," She asked, seeing this, "can I stay, or not?"


	6. Trapped

Gregory opened the door to Katherine's house as quietly as he possibly could, then sneaked up the stairs to her room. Without turning on the bedroom light, he undressed and got into bed with her. She moaned and turned when he added his weight to the mattress, but she didn't open her eyes. There was moonlight coming in from the window and it lit up her face. He looked down at her, grinned, and slid his hand under the covers. Of course she wore nothing. He continued sliding his hand down her stomach and between her thighs, rubbing her gently. She moaned and smiled, but didn't open her eyes, until she came a few minutes later. Breathing heavily, she stared up at him. "Oh, my god," she whispered, her voice breathy. "I'm having that dream again, aren't I?"

"No, my Katerina," he whispered to her. "I'm here."

She moaned and pulled him down on top of her, and as moonlight illuminated them, he took her without another word.

* * *

The next morning, Katherine woke up alone and was left to wonder if what had happened the night before had _actually_ happened, or had been just a dream. She thought about it for a moment, then got out of bed, shaking all thoughts of Gregory from her head. She wouldn't let him take over her mind. She _wouldn't. _He wasn't worth it. Not at all.

She wished she had some way to distract herself. She'd been okay with not having friends before, but now, when one of her few goals in life was avoiding Gregory, it really made it difficult when there was no one in her life she could use as an excuse. Finally, she went into a nearby restaurant and looked around to see if there were any pathetic, lonely people sitting around, either at a table or at the bar. Almost immediately, she saw a lonely woman sitting at a table alone, surrounded by drink glasses.

"Hi," she said to her once she approached the woman's table. "You want me to sit here, don't you?"

The woman looked directly at her and nodded. "Whatever," she replied. "Go ahead." Katherine took a seat and eventually, she managed to get the woman to stop drinking for a moment and talk to her.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm drinking so much," she sniffled.

"I wondered that, yes," Katherine replied. "Has something happened?"

"My fiance left me for another woman and our wedding is three days away!" She replied, dissolving into fresh sobs. "He said that our getting engaged was a mistake and that he just wasn't ready yet! I should have known that he was a jackass! I'm never looking at men again!"

"There, there," Katherine replied, trying her best to sound comforting. "These things happen. "You're better off without that jackass. What do you say I take you out shopping and we get you some new clothes and it'll be like you're a new woman."

"Sure," she nodded. "But before we go, I'm Betsy." She smiled.

Katherine returned the plain, mousy girl's smile. "Katherine," she introduced herself. "I know what it's like to be in your position. I'm having some man problems myself."

Just then, Gregory strode into the restaurant and approached the host. He was just about to ask for his usual table when he noticed Katherine and Betsy. "Never mind," he told the host. "I'll sit with them." He told the host. He sat down and Betsy, who had been really sad before, suddenly perked up.

"Hi," she said shyly. "You're Gregory Mikaelson, aren't you?"

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "I am."

Betsy got closer to him. "You know," she said, "My fiance just broke off our engagement. Are you seeing anyone?"

Gregory's eyes flicked over to Katherine, who was looking like she was gonna be ill. A smile curved his lips. "Actually," he said, kissing Betsy's hand. "I'm completely unattached at the moment. Did you have anything in mind for us?"

Betsy said nothing, but burst into loud giggles. "It doesn't matter to me," she told him when she could form sentences. "You can take me wherever you want."

"Hey!" Katherine told her. "I thought we were gonna go dress shopping!"

"Why would I need to do that?" Betsy asked her. "I already _have_ a date. But I'm sure you can find someone else who's pathetic and alone to go with you." They left her alone in the restaurant and she growled. She wasn't gonna let them dismiss her as the pathetic third wheel. Being sad and pathetic was Betsy's lot, not hers. She got up from the table and left the restaurant. She got in her car, which was having engine troubles, and drove it to Gregory's pathetic little warehouse for lost girls. But as she drove up the drive, something in the car made a terrible noise and it refused to move anymore. Groaning, she got out, kicked it, and made her way to the door, debating whether or not to go inside. She knocked and a woman answered.

"Hi," she said. "Can you help me? My car broke down and I need to use your phone."

The woman gave her a sorrowful look. "It's all right, dear," she said, ushering Katherine inside. "You needn't make excuses for why you're here. We won't judge you."

Just then, Gregory and Betsy showed up. "_There_ you are!" Gregory told Katherine. He looked at the woman and said, "I'm so glad you let her in here. I saw her at a restaurant I was at and she was just a wreck."

"You want me to take her to a room?" The woman asked.

"No," Gregory smiled. "I'll take care of her _personally_."

* * *

"Father," Elijah replied when he opened the door. "This is certainly a surprise."

"I know you would prefer that I not cross your threshold," Mikael told him. "But we can't always get what we want, can we?" He strode inside without giving Elijah a chance to respond. He was comfortably seated on the sofa before Elijah could think of any words to say to him.

"How can I help you, Father?"

"Well," Mikael replied, "first you can find that wife of yours and tell her I'd like a drink."

"I can get it," Elijah told him. "We don't need to trouble Selina."

Mikael's eyes narrowed as Elijah brought him his drink. "I suppose this will do," he said. "But you're really humiliating yourself by doing such menial work."

Elijah shook his head. "I wouldn't think so," he replied. "Now, as I asked before, what can I do for you?"

"It's not so much something you can do for me that brought me here," Mikael told him. "Are you aware Gregory is killing now?"

Elijah sighed. "It wouldn't surprise me," he replied. "It was his fondness for killing that forced me to order him from this house. If he's going to be so reckless, it won't be under my roof."

"You've been on the lookout for any reckless vampires that need to be dealt with, haven't you?" Mikael asked.

"Well, yes," Elijah nodded. "Of course I have, Father."

"Well, I'm not saying that I am going to hurt Gregory in any way _now_," Mikael told him. "But I think I'll be keeping an eye on him, just in case."

"_Father_!" Elijah gasped in shock. "You can't mean that!"

"Don't get me wrong," Mikael told him. "I don't _want_ to have to harm Gregory because he's my own flesh and blood, but if he becomes a danger to our kind, I'll have no choice. And I will count on you to put your feelings aside and do the right thing. You failed with Selina. If the time comes, I don't want you failing again with Gregory."

"You're asking me to help you murder my own son if the situation calls for it," Elijah whispered.

"Yes," Mikael told him. "I don't see what the problem is with that. You've already thrown him out onto the street. Killing him shouldn't be so difficult after that. It really is a shame. Gregory was such a sensible boy. He had so much potential and I hate to see it ruined."

Elijah just looked at his father with narrowed eyes, unable to reply to this. They sat in awkward silence for a few seconds before a boy with blue eyes and dark hair came into the room. "Dad?" He asked Elijah,

"Yes, Tristan?" Elijah asked. Tristan opened his mouth and then shut it, looking back and forth between Mikael and Elijah. "Was I interrupting something?" He asked, starting to back out of the room. "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing to be sorry about," Mikael replied, patting the spot on the couch next to him. "Come and sit by me."

"All right," Tristan replied nervously and sat on the edge of the cushion next to Mikael. "But I really only came in to ask if there was still any of Mommy's cake left and if Daddy could cut me a piece. I'm kind of busy at the moment."

"Oh, well carry on, then," Elijah told him. "No need for you to stay if you're busy."

"When's Mom getting back from her meeting?" Tristan asked as he followed Elijah into the kitchen. Mikael was left alone on the sofa.

"Not until tonight, I'm afraid," Elijah told him. "She has her meeting, then a few other errands to run. Are you having a problem?"

"No," Tristan replied as he watched Elijah cut him a piece of cake. "I was just curious." Elijah gave him his cake and then he went off to his room. "Strange boy, isn't he? Mikael asked.

"I wouldn't say that," Elijah replied. "He mostly keeps to himself, but I don't think there's anything wrong with him."

A few minutes later, three people came into the living room, also in search of a snack. Margaret was leading a small blonde girl by the hand and a boy followed behind them.

"Who are those two children with Margaret?" He asked. "I've never seen them before."

"Oh, them?" Elijah smiled. "Henry and Susanna. Relatives of Selina's from when she and Klaus were married. We're watching them while their parents are out of town."

Mikael's eyes widened. "You allow the likes of them in your house without complaint?" He asked.

"Of course," Elijah nodded. "Why wouldn't I?"

"They aren't related to you!" Mikael told him. "Are you just going to sit back and allow that woman you married to keep making a fool out of you?"

"I don't see what the problem is," Elijah told him. "They're perfectly nice and they didn't have anywhere else to go. And it's not like we don't have the space here."

Mikael sighed. "Damn it, boy," he said, getting up and looking at Elijah for a moment. "What's happened to you?" Then, he strode off toward the front door and left, slamming it behind him."

Just after that, Margaret, Henry, and Susanna emerged from the kitchen. "Who was that man?" Henry asked Elijah.

"He's my father," Elijah replied.

"He doesn't like people very much," Margaret added. "We usually stay away from him."

"Wow," Henry said, his eyes wide. "If we made him mad, would he kill us?"

"I don't think I want to find out," Margaret replied. "Let's just go back to reading our books, okay?"

"Fine," Henry said as he shuffled behind Margaret and Susanna, wishing that the scary man hadn't left. He would have liked to talk to him.

* * *

"What?" James asked, his eyes snapping up to focus on her face. "What did you ask me?"

"I want to know if I can stay," Lenora said. "I know that women aren't supposed to be on pirate ships, but you could make an exception for me, couldn't you?"

He looked at her skirt and then her top on the floor, which were very feminine. "Not dressed like that, I don't think," he told her. "The best chance you would have is to pretend to be a boy. Do you think you can do that? If you can't, we can just sneak you down to my quarters, place you in my bed, and that is where you will stay."

"Wow, I'm touched you're willing to give me a spot in your bed without even a hint of whether or not I'm worth that," Lenora told him.

He approached her until they were nose to nose. "I already know you have lovely breasts," he told her. "Are you saying that you'd be willing to show me the rest?"

She grinned. "I've never been one to say 'no' before," she said and stripped off the rest of her clothes.

"If you're a prostitute, you must do very well," James replied, grinning. "How did I get to be so singularly blessed by your presence?"

"I just want to see the world," Lenora told him. "Your ship was here and I made a run for it when no one was looking." She looked him over. "You know," she observed, "You're a lot neater than I expected you to be. So _clean_, for one thing. I wasn't aware pirates knew their way around soap."

"Most of them don't," James replied. "But I have ways of keeping meself neat and tidy, and I don't hesitate to take advantage of them."

Before he could speak again, she pulled him to her and kissed him soundly. When she ended the kiss, he looked at her in shock. "What was that for?" He asked.

Lenora shrugged. "I just wanted you to know what you were letting into your bed is all," she said, dressing again. "Now, where is it?"

Still feeling shocked, James pointed in the direction of his room.

"Thank you," Lenora grinned. "I'll see you there in a few minutes." And then she strutted off, leaving James alone. He stood there frozen and then broke out into a run, which was paused when he was stopped by one of the members of the crew. "We need you up top," he said. "Looks like we're going to be hitting some rough waters soon."

James rolled his eyes. "If it's absolutely necessary," he replied. He went up on deck and steered the ship until they were in calmer waters and then was finally able to get to his quarters.

"What kept you?" Lenora asked, sitting up, not even bothering to cover her body with a sheet. "I thought you weren't coming."

"I had some business to attend to," James told her. "Part of being a captain. What's your name, by the way?"

She grinned. "Lenora," she replied.

James grinned back. "Well, Lenora," he said to her, "have you ever been ravished at sea before?"

"No," Lenora grinned wider. "I haven't. And I'm looking forward to it, Captain."

* * *

The next morning, Adrian woke Felicity up bright and early. "Good morning!" He replied. Felicity frowned at him. "Why are you here?" She asked. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Ah," Adrian sighed. "So I presume you know the truth about who I am?"

"Yeah," Felicity replied, eyes narrowed. "And if you expect me to cozy up to you and call you 'Daddy', you can save your breath. I'm not gonna do that. You don't deserve it."

"What did I do that was so wrong?" Adrian asked her. "I meant well!"

"How is throwing me away like garbage 'meaning well'?" Felicity replied.

"I just wanted you to be raised the best you could and I didn't think you would be able to be at our house," Adrian told her.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Felicity asked.

"Well, Helene was kind of anti-vampire when you were born. She raised your sister Lenora so that she knew as little as possible about her vampire powers and was primarily taught to be a witch, even though that's not what she wanted. I thought that if I left you with my father, you'd have a better chance of learning everything," Adrian defended himself.

"I'm grateful that you left me with your father because he's a better man than you'll ever be, but I have to ask why the hell you couldn't have taught me all the vampire stuff yourself," Felicity said. "And don't give me any bullshit about how Helene wouldn't let you. If you'd really wanted to, you'd have done it."

Adrian opened his mouth, but no words came out. "I don't know what to say to that," he said. "But _did_ my father teach you about your vampire side?"

"Yes," Felicity nodded. "He taught me very well."

"Really?" Adrian asked, his face brightening. "Would you mind coming hunting with me and showing me?"

"Yes, I _would_ mind," Felicity replied. "I would mind very much. Now, it's very early, and I'm still kind of tired, so would you just go away for now, _please_?"

"Fine," Adrian told her. "But you have to promise you'll come hunting with me later."

"Oh, all right," Felicity told him. "I'll go hunting with you. Now _go away_!"

* * *

"Hey," Stefan said when Felicity came into his room that night. She looked exhausted and irritable. "What's the matter? Bad day with Adrian?"

Felicity scoffed. "Can there be any other kind? The guy treated me like _garbage _when I was a baby and now he thinks that just because it's been years and I was, in his words, 'raised right', that he suddenly has the right to bond with me. It's gonna take a lot more than a smile and a few nice words for me to actually want to bond with him!" She sat down hard on the bed. "Maybe I shouldn't have come," she said. "Maybe I should have just stayed home."

Stefan came to sit down next to her. "I have no doubt this isn't a picnic for you, but you and I can make the best of this, can't we? You came here with a good purpose in mind and I don't think it will do you any good to just run away, no matter how frustrating it is."

Felicity nodded and leaned against him. "I know," she said. "But unless I find a way to cope, Adrian's gonna drive me crazy!"

Stefan smirked. "You know, when your grandma, my brother and I were human, he would always tell her that the best way to deal with your problems is to drink them away for the moment, and then deal with them in the morning. What do you say to that?"

Felicity looked up at him in surprise. "I don't know," she said. "Will it really help that much?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "And tomorrow, you'll be so focused on how hungover you are that everything else will be irrelevant."

"Yay," Felicity replied. "That sounds promising. Let's do it."

* * *

Stefan did his best to support Felicity as the two of them stumbled into his room. She let out a loud giggle and he put a hand over her mouth. "Be quiet!" He told her. "Do you want them to hear us?"

Felicity smiled. "What are you afraid they're gonna hear?"

Stefan just smiled and looked her over. "You know, you're in much better spirits than you were before, aren't you?"

Felicity giggled. "It may be the alcohol talking, but yeah. That and you. You want me and you would_ never _throw me away like trash, would you?" As Stefan started to shake his head, Felicity kissed him deep. He then picked her up, kissed her back a little longer, and ushered her into his bed.

Because he couldn't exactly see straight, Stefan had to rely on his sense of touch more than anything. He ran his hands over the insides of Felicity's thighs, and she moaned loudly. He kissed her to stop it, and then massaged her breasts before ever so gently pushing into her.

She bucked forward and clutched him tightly, kissing his neck and running her fingers through his hair. They continued rolling around on the bed until they were both too tired to move any more."

* * *

The next morning, Felicity opened her eyes slowly. Her head was throbbing, and it wasn't very pleasant. She stared to push the sheets off herself and then realized she was naked. She covered herself up again when she noticed Stefan was beside her. She sneaked a peek under the sheets and then, after a bit, put them down again, just as Stefan opened his eyes.

"Morning, Sunshine!" Felicity grinned at him. Her head at been throbbing before, but the sight of his body under the covers had made her feel better.

Stefan saw her and his eyes widened. "What are you doing in my bed?" He asked her, shooting up to a sitting position. "And...you aren't wearing anything, are you?"

"Neither are you," she said. "So I don't see what the problem is."

"Wait a minute," Stefan told her. "I'm naked and you're naked in the same _bed_!"

"Yeah," Felicity nodded. "Along with that, I think we had sex last night. I'm pretty sure we did. And you know, you were right when you told me that drinking large amounts would make me forget my troubles with Adrian. I totally don't care about them anymore."

"Who cares about _your_ problems?" Stefan asked. "Whatever it was that happened last night began a bunch of new ones. Now, you're going to shut your eyes while I get out of bed and dress, and then _I_ am getting out of here, and who knows if I'll be coming back."

Humoring him, Felicity shut her eyes while he dressed, then he went into another room, and when he was sure he wouldn't be disturbed, he pulled out his phone and called his brother, growling with impatience when it went to voicemail.

"Damon, if you're there and ignoring this, pick up, damn you!" Stefan muttered. "I think I slept with Felicity last night and I don't know who else to talk to about it!"


	7. The Cat Out Of The Bag

"You know," Lucy told Damon as she rolled off him and covered her bare body with the oilcloth they were using as a blanket, "There _are_ times I don't mind you interrupting my painting."

Damon got up on his elbow. "Can you really call it an interruption if you were painting me in the first place?"

"I can if you get horny in the middle and jump me," Lucy told him, but she was smirking.

"Well, that's your own fault for wanting to paint me naked," Damon told her.

"Oh, like you mind," Lucy smirked. Then she paused. "I think I heard your phone go off," she told him. "Maybe you should answer it now. Whoever called probably left you a message."

Damon rolled his eyes. "I bet it's no one I want to talk to."

Without putting on any of his clothes, he crossed her studio space to the chair his pants were hanging on top of and pulled his phone out of the pocket.

"Was I right?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah," Damon nodded. "It was from Stefan."

"Well, that's nice," Lucy said. "He probably just wanted to check up on you."

Damon rolled his eyes, put the phone to his ear, and played the message. When it was over, he put the phone back in his coat pocket.

"What did Stefan have to say?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing that would interest you," Damon told her. "He just wanted to say that he and Felicity were having a good time in New Orleans and that's all."

But Lucy could tell by the way he was avoiding her gaze that he was lying. "What did he _really_ say when he called?" She asked. "You can tell me. Please do."

"I don't know if you're gonna like it," Damon told her. "It might just upset you."

"I don't care," Lucy told him. "I would like you to tell me."

"All right," Damon put on his pants and then turned back to her. "Stefan believes he slept with Felicity last night and he's freaking out about it."

"Is that all?" Lucy asked. "Why did you think I would be upset by that?"

"Well, you know, cause Felicity is young and your niece and Stefan is...doing her," Damon replied.

"Oh, and I wasn't young the first time I got into bed with you?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "It would be rich for me to get upset, wouldn't it? Besides, she's gonna have enough people freaking out over them having sex without me adding to it. I'll just see it as one of those things that happens. How freaked out did he sound on the phone?"

"_Very_," Damon replied, a twinkle in his eye. "Unusual for my brother, at least since he decided to balance himself out." Damon paused and then looked appealingly at Lucy. "Now that I've gotten Stefan's message, what do you say we continue what we were doing before? I have the energy if you do."

"I think it would be nice if you called him back," Lucy told Damon. "Do it now."

"Now?" Damon asked. "Can't it wait an hour?"

"No," Lucy shook her head. "If he's freaked out, you should be a good brother and call him back as soon as possible."

Damon rolled his eyes. "I _hate_ having to be the good brother!"

"I know," Lucy told him. "But I like it a lot when you are. I think it's sweet." She kissed him on the cheek and handed him his phone. Damon dialed Stefan's number and waited impatiently for him to answer.

"It's about time you called!" Stefan barked into his phone. "Damon, what took you so long?"

"I was otherwise occupied," Damon told him. "Lucy and I were having sex and I'm sure you know how much of a person's mind that can take up."

Stefan's eyes narrowed. "If that's a joke at my expense, I don't think it's funny. I called you because I needed help, not because I wanted you to mock me."

"You want me to help you?" Damon asked. "Just what do you think I can do?"

"I don't know!" Stefan groaned. "You dealt with Klaus and Elijah after they found out you slept with Lucy. What do I have to do?"

"Basically just lie there and let them pummel you without fighting back," Damon told him. "Once they get tired, they'll leave you alone and never mention it again."

"Well, that's not a lot of help," Stefan told him.

"It's the best I can do," Damon told him. "But would it ease your mind any to know that Lucy knows about your fling with Felicity too and she bears no ill will about it?"

"Well, she shouldn't!" Stefan told him. "Not after what happened between the two of you."

It was then that Lucy snatched the phone away from Damon. "Can I talk to Felicity, Stefan? Is she around?"

"She's back at Adrian and Helene's," Stefan told her. "In bed. She apparently doesn't hold her alcohol as well as she would probably like to. If you know the number of Adrian and Helene's, you could probably call her there. That or Felicity's cellphone." He gave her the number and Lucy committed it to memory.

"All right," she told him. "I'll hand you back to your brother and go do that." She handed Damon the phone and went and called Felicity.

"Please don't yell at me," Felicity pleaded when she realized who it was. "We were both drunk! And it's not like he's some stranger. I already kind of like him a little."

"Relax," Lucy told her. "I'm not gonna yell at you. How are things going down there?"

Felicity sighed. "Your brother is very difficult," she told him. "Give me Aunt Roxie over him any day."

"Don't feel like you have to be nice to him," Lucy told her. "He made his mistakes and you shouldn't feel like you have to coddle him because of them."

"Oh, I don't plan on making it easy for him," Felicity assured her. "I _definitely_ plan on making him work for it. And if I want to be extra rebellious, I might see what's going on with the witches around here. Apparently, he and Helene have not been treating them well. I need to go see what's going on, and then I'm gonna offer to help them fight back, if they'll let me."

"Good idea," Lucy told her. "Good luck with that." She finished her call with Felicity around the time Damon finished his call to Stefan.

"Stefan all right?" Lucy asked.

Damon nodded. "He's better. What about Felicity?"

"She's good," Lucy told him. "She has more of a problem with _my_ brother than she does with yours."

* * *

"So," Lenora asked James. "How was your trip? Did you catch a lot of bad guys?"

"Yes," James, replied, facing away from her as he lay in bed. "I would much rather have done _other_ things, but since I was alone, I couldn't. Not as well, anyway."

"I told you that I was busy and that was why I couldn't come!" Lenora cried out in exasperation. "I wasn't trying to tell you that I hate you or anything."

Now James sat up. "What did you have to do?" He asked. "And how is it that it was _so_ important that it couldn't have waited a couple of days?"

"Well," Lenora told him, "If it could have waited, you wouldn't have needed to go on the trip. The trip was a distraction for you while I went back in time and met you when you were a pirate. Are you mad at me?"

James' eyes widened now. "I told you I didn't want you to go back!" He cried. "You ruined my life back then! I was perfectly happy with my life until you stowed away, made me want you, and ruined everything!"

"Well, if you ask me, you didn't seem to be having such a bad time when you were ravishing me at sea!" Lenora cried. "I'm sorry my being there pissed everyone off, but if I hadn't come, we wouldn't be together now. Do you realize that, James? That's why Grandma said I absolutely had to go back. Cause if I didn't, there wouldn't be any 'us'."

"And like _that_ would have been such a tragedy," James told her.

"Well, yeah, it would have been," Lenora told him, forcing him to look in her eyes. "Because if there was no us, I don't know _how_ long it would take me to find someone else I trust as much as I trust you, all right?"

"Really?" James asked.

"Yeah, you idiot!" Lenora replied affectionately, ruffling James' hair. "When I was gone, it wasn't like I was with another man. Technically, I _was_ still with you."

"But that's when I was better," James told her. "Before I got old and hated the world."

Lenora scoffed. "You think you're old?" She asked. "You're not. You're still very, _very_ handsome."

"You're just telling me that because you're not back in time anymore and you feel you have to," James told her.

"No, I'm not!" Lenora told him. "And if you honestly think that, then I feel insulted. You're getting yourself all worked up for no reason."

"If you didn't want me to get worked up, then you should have come with me," James told her. "How hard would that have been?"

Lenora shut her eyes tight and thought calming thoughts to keep her temper in check before kissing James long and hard. "Just because I'm not with you every second of the day doesn't mean I don't love you," she told him. "I _do._ I don't even think you understand how much." She put her arms around him and lay her head on his shoulder. "If it were up to me, this would be one of the two positions we'd be in _all the time_."

"What's the other one?" James asked. The beginning of a naughty glint was back in his eye.

Lenora grinned back. "Undress and I'll show you."

They undressed and then made love with such enthusiasm that their mattress caved.

"Wow," Lenora gasped, pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes. "That was impressive, Captain."

James grinned. "Thank you," he replied. "But it's always much easier when we're at sea."

* * *

"Okay," Katherine told Gregory the following evening as he led her to his room and shut the door. "What is this? What do you want with me? You wanna compel me to stay in your bed so I'll be here whenever you feel like it?"

"Oh, please," Gregory told her. "Do you honestly think that I value you so little that I would do that to you?"

"Well, if that's not what you want me for, then what is it?" Katherine cried. "You _have_ to tell me!"

Gregory smirked. "Katerina, I don't have to tell you anything, and I don't plan to. You'll be safe, though. Don't worry."

"Why not?" Katherine asked. "It's probably a code for something unpleasant."

"Not necessarily," Gregory told her. "I'm offering you a home. Probably something better than you've ever had before. And all I ask in return is your assistance in cleaning the house. I do like it when things are neat and tidy."

Katherine scowled. "You're allowing me to stay here, but i have to be your maid in return? Not a chance in hell!"

She began to stride toward the door, but Gregory grabbed her arm and slammed her hard against one of the walls, holding her chin so that they were locking eyes. "I'm sorry," he told her. "But that wasn't the answer I was looking for. Would you care to try again?"

Katherine let out a growl and spit on him. He frowned and gave her a good, hard slap across her face before he held her eyes again. "You will stay here," he said. "You will do what I say, when I say it, and you will not complain."

Katherine nodded and Gregory sighed sadly. "I wish I didn't have to do that, Katherine. I wish you would have just obeyed me. That would have been so much nicer."

He let her go and started to walk away, then, when she was sure he wasn't looking, a grin spread over Katherine's face and she stepped away from the wall. "Yeah, it probably _would_ have been easier for me to just obey you," she told him. "But it wouldn't have been much fun for you. Admit it."

"I don't know what you mean," Gregory told her.

"Well," Katherine strode toward him and began circling him. "You might act upset when I don't listen to you. But I know you like it."

"I don't!" He shook his head. "I like order, and obedience and that's why I do what I have to in order to get you to listen!"

Katherine smiled wider. "Would it upset you if I told you I liked it?"

"You're only saying that to irritate me!" Gregory told her. "Of course you don't like it. No one should!"

"Just call me strange then," Katherine told him, her tongue going over her lips. "Because I _do_! So how about you stop pretending to upset me with that plain girl you came with and spend some time with me instead?"

Gregory stared at her for a few seconds, grabbed her, and kissed her long and hard, then let her go. "I can't now," he told her. "I'm busy. But if you'll just be patient for a few hours and keep that charming offer of yours still standing, I might take you up on it later." He reached the door, paused, then turned and came back to her.

"You changed your mind pretty quickly," Katherine grinned, thinking she was about to get what she wanted.

"Not exactly," Gregory replied and picked her up. He tossed her gently on the bed and then tied her to the post with the scarf. "This way, I won't lose track of you," he told her. "I really wouldn't want that."

Then, he left the room, shutting the door gently behind him. "Is everything all right?" One of the girls asked him.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "Everything is fine. You don't have to worry about me. It's _my_ job to worry about _you_."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yes," he said. "I promise."

Looking unconvinced, she nodded and walked off, meeting one of the other girls in another room. "Did you get a good look at her, Liz?"

Liz shook her head. "Not really, Angie."

"What do you think he brought her here for?" Angie asked. "She can't just be one of us! She came here herself and her car broke down in the driveway!"

"Do you think she's in trouble?" Liz asked. "Maybe we should find her and ask if we can help."

They nodded at each other and then went looking around. When they got to the room where Katherine was being kept, Gregory came down another hallway and stationed himself in front of her door. "Hello, ladies," he told them. "Are you looking for something?"

"Some_one_, actually," Liz said. "That new girl. We want to talk to her."

"There's no cause for concern," Gregory told her. "And I don't think it would be best to talk to her. She doesn't play well with others."

"Are you sure?" Liz asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "I have enough trouble with her as it is. It would be worse for you."

"Okay," Liz and Angie eased away from the room and Gregory went inside, pleased to see that Katherine was still restrained to the bed. "I heard voices outside," she told him. "Who were they?"

"Just some of the girls looking to talk with you," Gregory told her. "But I figured you wouldn't want to talk to them, so I sent them away."

"Oh, thank you," Katherine told him. "I'm not really in the mood to be kind to anyone at the moment."

"And that doesn't matter much to me," Gregory replied, undressing and then coming into bed with her and removing her skirt and panties. "I don't need you to be kind. I just need you to be flexible."


	8. A Break-In

"I don't think we have anything to be ashamed of," Felicity told Stefan. "So what if we had a little too much to drink and had sex? It shouldn't matter."

"Your father might think it will matter," Stefan replied.

"Yeah, he might," Felicity told him. "But he's not here now. It's not like he's suddenly gonna appear and yell at you and even if he could do that, he has no right. If his logic for being against us is that he just wants me to be happy, I'll tell him that I am so he should just leave us alone."

"You don't need to stick up for me," Stefan told her. "I can handle it myself."

"But didn't you say that he told you he was gonna kill you if you let anything happen to me?" Felicity asked. "I don't want you to be killed!"

"Oh, I won't be killed," Stefan shrugged off the thought. "He says stuff like that all the time, but when it comes to me, he never actually follows through."

"Are you sure about that?" Felicity asked.

"Yes!" Stefan told her. "Of course I'm sure!"

"Okay," Felicity told him. "Cause I was planning to go out and look around the city today, but if you think your life is in danger, I'll stay here and watch you like a hawk."

"You don't have to do that," Stefan told her. "I'm not helpless."

"All right, then," Felicity told him. "Why don't you march right up to Adrian, or call my dad, and tell them what happened?"

"No, are you crazy?!" Stefan asked her, his eyes widening. "That's a bad idea. We'll tell them at some point. Just not now."

"Or we could not volunter the information at all," Felicity suggested. "We could come to the conclusion that what went on between us is none of their business and keep it to ourselves, and then if they find out some other way, _that's_ when we'll talk to them about it, but not before."

There was a knock on the bedroom door and they both tensed. "Come in," Felicity called. Helene poked her head in. "Just so you know, Adrian's looking for you," she told Felicity. "If you want to make a getaway, now would be a good time."

"Thanks," Felicity nodded and she and Stefan ran out the door, praying Adrian wouldn't see them and delay them. They managed to make it out without running into him, but once they were gone, Adrian found Helene.

"You haven't seen Felicity, have you?" He asked her. "I wanna talk to her."

"I know you do, and that's why I sent her out," Helene told him.

"Why did you do that?" Adrian asked, feeling anger rise in him. "You're supposed to be helping me get along with her, not sabotaging my efforts!"

"If you want my honest opinion," Helene replied, "I think you need to lay off. You screwed up with her and she knows that, so you can't expect her to just drop everything and love you because you say a few kind words now. And constantly intruding in her life is a bad tactic too. Just leave it alone and let her come to you when she's ready."

Adrian scoffed. "Just remember that I'm not the _only_ one who screwed up with her," he said. "You made your mistakes too, and the only reason why she likes you now is because she doesn't know about them. Or have you deluded yourself into thinking that you did nothing wrong to her at all?"

"Of course I haven't!" Helene whispered sharply. "You don't think I go through every day knowing that the reason I have no powers is because of how badly I screwed up with her when she was a baby? I do! I haven't deluded myself into anything."

"Well, I'll believe that when you tell her the truth about what you did to her and see how she takes it," Adrian told her. "If I have to be down on bended knee and begging our daughter for forgiveness of _my_ sins, then you should be too, instead of hiding behind the guise of innocent, helpful mother. Cause that's a lie, and you know it, Helene." He grinned and at her and walked off, chuckling to himself without waiting to hear her reply. She stared after him, eyes narrowed and hands balling up into fists. If only she still had her powers, he'd be turned into something really helpless, small, or disgusting by now.

* * *

Felicity waited until she and Stefan were far away from Adrian and Helene's before she spoke again. "That was close!" She whispered breathlessly. "Nice of Helene to give us a chance to get away."

"It _was,_ wasn't it?" Stefan asked. "Now, what exactly do you plan to do now that we've gotten away? Are we going to wander around town aimlessly until you get tired and want to go back?"

"No!" Felicity shook her head. "I _told_ you that I wanted to see what was going on with the people in town and ask if I could help."

"I don't know," Stefan told her. "Something tells me they won't be receptive to your help if you offer it."

"Yeah, and I don't think that's really fair," Felicity replied. "This is the first time I've come here since ever and I didn't grow up with Adrian and Helene, or do anything to cause these people suffering. The only reason why they hate me is because, by some freak of nature, I happen to be descended from the people who are making their lives a living hell. How fair is that, really?"

"It's not," Stefan replied as they descended into the town. "But it's just how it is. Unless you try and change it. Are you going to?"

"Yeah," Felicity nodded. "You're damn right I am!" She strode into a nearby shop and right up to the counter, banging on the bell with urgency. Finally, two girls came out, looking irritated and one snatched the bell right out from under Felicity's hand.

"What is it that you want?" She asked.

"I just want to talk," Felicity told her. "I didn't come to cause trouble."

The girls looked at each other and then back at Felicity. "What do you want?" The first girl asked, pushing long, braided dark hair out of her dark eyes. "Or did you just come here to further ruin us?"

Felicity just smiled and tried to stay calm. "I think we got off on the wrong foot here," she replied and held out her hand. "I'm Felicity. What are your names?"

They stared at her for awhile and said nothing. The air in the shop was full of unspoken hostility. "Look!" Felicity cried, a bit of irritation escaping. "I understand that Adrian and Helene have somehow ruined your lives and I sympathize. And yes, Adrian fathered me and Helene gave birth to me, but other than that, I have _nothing_ to do with them. Adrian left me on my grandfather's doorstep when I was six months old and this is the first time I can ever even remember meeting him. I harbor no ill will toward you two or anyone else here. In fact, I want to help you, if you'll let me."

Finally, the first girl nodded. "I'm Chloe," she replied. "And this is Laurette." She gestured at the second girl who was smaller and had auburn hair and dark eyes. "Why would you want to help us? Most vampires never have any interest in helping witches."

"Well, I'm a witch myself," Felicity told her. She turned the bell into a mouse and back again. "See?"

"But how?" Chloe asked.

"I think Helene used to be a witch," Laurette said quietly. "But her powers got taken away because she did something bad to her daughter, and I don't think Helene's ever forgiven the witches for that."

"'Her daughter'?" Felicity repeated. "You mean my sister, don't you? Lenora?"

"No," Laurette shook her head. "I mean _you_."

Felicity's lower lip shook. "If that's true, if Helene has wronged me too, then you _have_ to let me help you. We're in the same boat."

Finally, Chloe sighed. "Fine," she said. "You can help us, but we'll have to talk to Cole first and see what he says. Sometimes, he doesn't like interference, but I guess he'd be willing to make an exception for you since you're a witch too."

"Thanks," Felicity replied. "Where is he? How do I meet him?"

"Come back tomorrow," Chloe told her. "Be here at ten. He'll be here by then, but don't be late."

"All right," Felicity nodded. "I sure won't."

* * *

The next day, at ten, Felicity arrived at the shop alone. Chloe was standing behind the counter and gave her smile when she saw her. "You're here," she said. "I wasn't sure you would be."

"Well, I am," Felicity replied. "The question is, is Cole?"

"Yeah," Chloe nodded. "He is. Come with me." She led Felicity into a small room in the back of the shop where Laurette and a man were talking. When they entered the room, the talking stopped, Laurette strode off, and Felicity found herself gazing at a smirking man who had dark hair and dark eyes. "Hello," he said when he reached her.

"Hello," Felicity responded.

"So I hear you want to help," he said.

"Yeah," Felicity nodded. "Cause Helene and Adrian screwed me over too and I don't like that the witches here have to feel the same way."

"But aren't you related to them?" He asked. "How can I be sure you can be trusted?"

"If you don't want to trust me, I can't make you," Felicity told him. "But I'm a witch myself. Shouldn't that be reason enough to at least give me a shot?"

"Fine," he told her. "But if I find out that you've betrayed us to your parents, you'll have a price to pay."

"Fine," Felicity replied. "Whatever." When he was gone, Felicity asked Chloe, "What is his deal? Is he a witch too?"

"No," Chloe shook her head. "Cole is a vampire. An uncle of Adrian's, if you can believe it. He's helping us because he's always had a deep respect for our kind and thinks it's wrong we're being enslaved. And, as he pointed out, since none of us are really in a position to use our powers, we needed the help."

Felicity nodded. "Well," she said. "Now that I'm here, I hope I'll be able to be a good help too."

* * *

"Well, look at you!" Gregory exclaimed with a grin as he entered the kitchen and saw Katherine scrubbing the floor. She growled when she saw that he was tracking mud in. "I just cleaned that spot!" She cried. "Do you mind?!"

"I don't, actually," Gregory told her. "I think it would be good for your character to clean it again."

Katherine narrowed her eyes at him. "It's a shame you knew I was doing this before you came in here," she told him. "I would have found it highly enjoyable if you had tripped, fallen, and injured your neck or your head."

"I'm touched at your concern for my safety," Gregory told her. "And I'm sorry I disappointed you."

Kathrine stopped scrubbing for a moment and looked down at the gray outfit she wore that resembled a prison uniform rather than anything fancy.

"Why do I have to dress like this?" She asked. "Gray isn't my color, _and_ it's just hideous anyway."

"Well, what were you expecting to wear?" Gregory asked her. "One of those tiny little French maid outfits? I suppose I could arrange to get one of those for you...but you'd only wear it behind closed bedroom doors, of course."

Katherine smirked. "Why even bother getting me a dress?" She asked. "Wouldn't it be easier if I wore nothing at all?" She strode up to him so that they were nose to nose.

Gregory just managed to control his breathing. "It might be," he said. "But I prefer modesty. At least for a little while anyway. It's like presents at Christmas. It's no fun if they're not wrapped first."

Katherine took him by the tie he was wearing and pulled him to her. "What do you say you let me take a break and I'll unwrap_ you _like a Christmas present?" She asked.

Gregory let a smile appear on his face. "Sure," he replied. "Why not?"

Katherine pulled him into the bedroom, taking note of all the girls that gave her dirty looks along the way.

"Everyone was staring at us," she grinned. "I think they're jealous."

"Well, why not?" Gregory asked, stripping. "We came in together and look at me. You're a lucky girl, Katerina."

"Oh, shut up!" Katherine replied and shoved him hard against the wall, sticking her tongue in his mouth. Gregory let this go on for a little bit before he softened the kiss, undressed her, picked her up and carried her to bed, and as he ran his hands over her body and pushed inside her, Katherine made sure to moan loud enough so that all the other girls in the house could hear. She was so loud that they didn't hear the window smash and it wasn't until _after_ they both came to from their last orgasms that they were conscious of the screaming coming from outside.

Gregory jumped out of bed, put on his pants, and ran out of the room.

"I want to come too," Katherine told him. "You have to let me!"

"I have to do no such thing," Gregory told her. "You will stay in this room and not make a peep until I return. Do you understand me?" But he didn't wait for Katherine's response. He slammed the door behind himself and ran off to see what catastrophe was happening thanks to the fact that he let himself get distracted by Katerina and her beautiful body.

* * *

Selina was writing out talking points for her next meeting of the neighborhood watch committee when Elijah knocked on the door of the library.

"Come in," She called. Elijah entered. "Getting a lot of work done?" He asked.

Selina nodded. "I'm doing all right," she replied. He set down a tray in front of her that had a glass of milk, some baby carrots, and a peanut butter sandwich on it.

"Did you make this up for me?" She asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I thought you might be hungry."

Selina smiled. "Well, aren't you sweet?" As she took a bite out of a carrot, he sat down next to her.

"I have something else to tell you," he said. "My father told me that he thinks he has reason to worry about Gregory."

"Worry about Gregory in what way?" Selina asked. "Has he been hurt or something?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "Father believes that Gregory is killing and that one day, his killing might get out of hand, and that eventually, he and I might be forced to...kill him." The last two words were said in a whisper. Elijah could barely get them out.

Selina frowned. "Did he really say that?" She asked. "Because if he did, I have half a mind to march right up to him and pop him one in the eye. I don't care_ how_ powerful he is."

Elijah sighed. "He didn't say he was going to go after Gregory now. Just that it might be a possibility some day."

"You won't actually do it if he asks, will you?" Selina asked.

"No," Elijah shook his head. "Of course not. It's not the thought of having to kill him that scares me. But the idea that Gregory could get so bad Father could _need_ to."

"I'm not worried," Selina told him. "Even if Gregory _does_ go off the deep end, you and I can make it better. You fixed me when I was at a pretty bad place, and I have full confidence that we can do the same thing for Gregory if need be, and that killing him will be absolutely unnecessary."

Elijah took her in his arms. "Thank you for the vote of confidence," he told her. "I needed that."

Selina kissed him. "That's what I'm here for," she replied. Elijah held on to her a little longer and then let her go. "I'll let you get back to work," he replied, then kissed her deep. "And I'll be waiting for you in bed when we're done."

He stopped the kiss, gave her a grin and headed toward the door, hearing the sound of her keyboard keys clacking at an impressive speed. He stepped out into the hallway and waited. A few minutes later, Selina came running out and he had to grab her so that she wouldn't fall on the floor. Then he picked her up, kissed her again, and carried her off to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Elijah drove Laura to school while Selina took the other kids.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Laura told him. "I _am_ old enough to drive myself."

"I'm aware of that," Elijah told her. "But I'm doing a favor for a friend who doesn't have a car and I thought it wouldn't hurt you to come along."

"What 'friend'?" Laura asked, her eyes narrowing. "Please tell me it's not Edward, Dad. Please!"

"I don't see why you have such a problem with Edward," Elijah replied. "He's a fine young man!"

"Dad, he is a _nerd_!" Laura cried. "I don't know how you can expect me to like a nerd."

"He is _not_ a nerd," Elijah told her. "He reminds me a lot of me when I was his age."

"Would you like me to tell you the definition of the word 'nerd', Daddy?" Laura asked. "Because I don't think you get it."

"I don't think _you_ get that all I'm trying to do is help you," Elijah replied. "You know, you're as stubborn as your mother used to be."

"Did you try and force her to date nerdy guys too?" Laura asked.

"Of course not!" Elijah snapped. "Don't be ridiculous. I was talking about the frustrating length of time it took to get your mother to commit to me for good. It was inexcusable how long it took."

"But even though it took a long time, she figured it out eventually, right?" Laura reasoned. "So what's wrong with letting me think the same way and make _my_ own mistakes?"

"What's wrong is that I'm your father and I don't want you to make one mistake after the other when the right man for you is close by but you're too stubborn to see it," Elijah replied irritably. Then he pulled up in front of Edward's house and gave Laura a look. "When he comes, be nice to him, okay?"

"Fine," Laura replied. "Whatever!" She watched Edward come down the front stairs and get into the front seat next to Elijah. They carried on a lively conversation and although Edward gave Laura the occasional look in the rear-view mirror, he made no effort to include her.

When they reached school and were walking toward the building, Laura put a hand on Edward's shoulder. "I don't know what was going on in the car," she told him. "But just so you know, I don't care that you ignored me and it's not a good way to get my attention."

Edward turned, a smile curving his lips. "I know it might be hard for you to believe," he told her. "But I wasn't ignoring you because I wanted your attention," he said. "The reason why I made no effort to draw you into my conversation with your father is that we were talking about things that I knew would go over your head and I didn't want you to feel stupid. If you want to join us next time, I would be more than happy to lend you books that will tell you what you need to know to keep up with us. See you after school, Laura."


	9. Taking The First Steps

Katherine listened to the shouting and commotion for a few minutes, managed to free herself from the scarf, dressed, and ran out into the living room where a man was yelling and waving a knife around. Gregory was trying to disarm him without getting hurt himself.

"Oh, my god, Gregory!" She yelled. "Just punch him for fuck's sake! Or ram his head against a table!" Sighing, she ran over to a chair and picked it up. "I have to do everything myself around here, don't I?" She muttered to herself. "He picks a fine time to go all noble!" Carrying the chair over her head, she hit the guy with it, and he fell down unconscious, after which Gregory pried the knife out of his grip and went to put it in the kitchen.

"That was unpleasant," he said.

"And you were not a lot of help," Katherine replied. "Why the hell were you hesitating?"

"You saw all the girls around," he said. "I didn't want to scare them more than they already were!"

"Who cares?" Katherine replied. "It would have been more scarring if he would have gotten away and grabbed one of them. Any one of them could have been killed because you were concerned about being noble. I'll tell you what, you're lucky I was here!"

"What are you doing out of my bed?" Gregory asked her, eyes narrowed. "What part of 'stay put' don't you understand?"

Katherine grinned. "The part where you did a shitty job of tying the scarf securely to the bedpost."

Gregory opened his mouth and then shut it. Katherine headed back into the living room where the girls were watching the man's body with apprehension.

"Who did he come for?" Gregory asked.

All the girls looked at Amanda, who slowly raised her hand. "Me," she said quietly. "He came for me."

"Well, he definitely won't be coming anywhere near you any time soon," Gregory told her. "I can promise you that."

"How?" Amanda asked. "They already told me they were putting him in jail once and here he is!"

"Don't you worry about that," Gregory told her. "Leave that to me." He looked at Katherine. "Take her to the hospital, would you? This has been a very traumatizing situation and I want to make sure everything is okay."

"All right," Katherine nodded. She held out her hand to Amanda. "Come with me," she said. "Let's get you to a doctor."

Amanda looked down at herself. "I'm a little shaken up," she admitted. "But fine otherwise."

"You don't know that for sure," Katherine told her. "Come with me."

Amanda nodded. "All right," she said. "But I thnk you're making all this fuss for nothing."

"Maybe not," Katherine told her. "I was pregnant myself once."

Amanda paused. "You were?"

"Yeah," Katherine nodded. "So I know what it's like. Now will you come with me?"

"Sure," Amanda murmered. "Let's go."

After they were gone, Gregory looked around at the girls. "Are you all going to be all right here? I have to take care of some business. It will only take a few minutes."

"Shouldn't you call the police, Mr. Mikaelson, and report him?" One of the girls asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "That is exactly what I plan to do. Don't you worry." However, when he got the young man out to his car, he waited until he came to, and then grabbed him by the throat. "You are _slime_," he whispered through his teeth. "The lowest sort of creature to walk the earth. You don't deserve to live after what you did to that poor girl."

The boy just grinned. "Are you kidding? She should be grateful to us. No one else would have wanted her."

Gregory growled and then slammed the young man's head against one of the front windows of the car and then the other. Brushing the glass off the seat, he sat the man down next to him and buckled him in.

"Hospital," the other man muttered. "Hospital..."

"You don't deserve a hospital," Gregory muttered. He drove the man out to the woods and sucked him dry, then left his body for the animals to find and do whatever they pleased with. "You treated a girl like she was disposable," he whispered, looking down as a crow pecked out the man's eyes. "_She_ isn't. But now _you_ are."

* * *

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked Felicity.

"I'm going to see that Kol guy again," Felicity told him. "At Chloe and Laurette's shop. Apparently he trusts me enough to let me help."

"Let me come with you," Stefan told her. "I don't think it's good for you to go by yourself."

"It's fine," Felicity told him. "Besides, you have to stay here. If you don't, there'll be no one around to distract Adrian, and you know how intent he is on bonding with me! If he follows me and finds out what I'm doing, I'll lose all my credibility and everything will be ruined!"

"Are you sure there's not more that I can do?" Stefan asked. "Because I'm more than willing to do more."

"No," Felicity shook her head. "That's all I need from you. Thanks a bunch!" She left without giving him a chance to say another word and when she was gone, he sighed. He really hated being left behind when she was doing something that could get her hurt. Did she not realize that if something happened to her, that it was _his _ass that was on the line? Could she stop being selfish for just one moment and think about_ him_? Apparently, that wasn't possible.

He headed out of his room and tried his best to calm down so he wouldn't give away what she was doing out of pure spite.

"You okay, Stefan?" Helene asked.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Helene asked. "You look a little upset."

"No," Stefan shook his head. "I'm not upset. I'm good."

"You know," Helene told him, "I'm really surprised you're still here. Felicity went out and I thought for sure that you'd go with her."

Stefan shrugged. "I didn't feel like it. I'm a little tired."

"Oh, all right," Helene nodded. "You should rest up then." She went into her and Adrian's bedroom and found him sitting on the bed with their dog, Rusty.

"What are you doing?" Helene asked.

"I'm thinking of sending Rusty to Ladybug. Do you think I should do that?"

"Why would you do that?" Helene asked. "What makes you think that Lenora would even take him if you did?"

"Well, she has children, right?" Adrian asked.

Helene nodded. "Well, at least that's what my mother says. It's not like I've ever met them."

"You should try," Adrian told her. "At least she'd probably think about it if you asked."

"Maybe I will after Felicity," Helene told him. "I think I can only handle making things up to one daughter at a time."

Adrian just shook his head. "You don't have anything to make up for," he said. "It's me who does."

"No, not really," Helene told him. "Don't you remember why I got my powers taken away?"

"Cause you abused your powers and turned me into a bunny," Adrian replied. "Yeah, I remember."

"It wasn't just because I turned you into a bunny," Helene told him. "I took Felicity back at one point, and it turned out to be more of a chore than I hoped to have her around. I wasn't getting any sleep and I was irritated, and finally, I put a spell on her so that I wouldn't have ot hear her cry and scream anymore. I can't remember if both our dads were there when I was found out or if my father found out second hand, but they took Felicity back and then Mom decided to take my powers away. You know this!"

"Yeah," Adrian nodded. "I do. Right. But she doesn't, I don't think."

Helene sighed. "I don't know if I should keep it that way, or fess up. It would be easier if I kept it quiet."

"I think you should tell her," Adrian advised. "She seems really happy to have been raised by my father, so I bet she won't be too mad at you. And if she is, at least you told her the truth, right?"

"Yeah," Helene nodded. "Some parents we are."

Adrian put his arm around her. "Well, at least we have a lot of time to fix what we did wrong. That's _one_ good thing about all this mess. And I think I'll start by sending Rusty to Lenora and she can do with him what she wants. He should be around kids."

"All right," Helene sighed. "It's worth a try." She watched him write a note and attach it to the dog's collar. "You're gonna go to a new home, boy," he told him, scratching the dog behind his ears. "I think you'll like it there. You'll be around kids again!"

The dog gave a happy bark and Adrian turned to Helene. "Now, how exactly do I go about getting him to Lenora?"

"I'll go see my mom," Helene told him. "She'll handle it."

Adrian grinned. "Have you told your mother about our little set up here?"

"No!" Helene shook her head. "I'm not stupid. If I tell her, I'll be in even more trouble than I already am and I don't want that. We're working on moving forward, remember. Not back."

* * *

"You came back," Kol told Felicity as she came into the shop and shut the door behind her. "To be honest, I didn't think you would."

"Why not?" Felicity asked. "I'm a witch too, just like everyone else in this operation. Well, except you. Why would you want to help? Your allegiance should be just as shaky as mine supposedly is. Adrian is your nephew. Well, _half_-nephew, I guess."

"But I've never met him," Kol replied. "And why should I have an allegiance to someone I've never met?"

Felicity nodded. "Point taken." She went up to the counter and stared at him. "Just how big a part do you have in this operation?" She asked. "You're not helping the witches get away from Adrian just so you can enslave them yourself, are you?"

"No," Kol shook his head. "I happen to have a great respect for witches, darling. And if you're going to question _my_ motivations, I think I have the right to question yours. How can I know you aren't gonna go running to your father with everything we're doing here?"

"I thought you said you trusted me about that already," Felicity told him.

"Well, I want to be _doubly_ sure of you," Kol told her. "This is a very important operation and I won't have you lousing it up because you weren't honest with me, or looking to get into favor with Adrian."

"And I told _you_," Felicity replied through her teeth, "that I have absolutely no reason to be loyal to Adrian whatsoever. I didn't grow up with him and although he fathered me, he didn't raise me and I _don't_ consider him my father."

"I hope you're being honest about this," Kol told her. "Because if you aren't, there will be horrible consequences."

"I think she's being honest," Laurette replied. "No one could be _that_ good of an actress around witches who could very easily find out if she's lying."

"I promise I'm not," Felicity replied. "I'll do whatever I can to help."

"She could bond with him," Chloe said. "Adrian, I mean. She could buddy up to him and find out what he's planning to do against us."

"Yeah," Kol nodded. "That would be really useful." He looked at Felicity. "You do that. If you come up with anything useful, I'll consider you trustworthy."

"Can't you think of anything other than that for me to do?" Felicity asked. "I really don't want to bond with him at all."

"No," Kol shook his head. "That's your task. You don't have to take it, even if it _is_ the only way we'll trust you."

Felicity rolled her eyes. "Fine," she told him. "I'll bond with Adrian. Geez."

"Good," Kol nodded. "Come back here in a week to tell us anything useful you find out."

Felicity nodded and left the shop. "The things I do for my kind," she muttered to herself.

* * *

"I need you to dust, all right?" Lenora said to James. "Or zap all the dust away."

"Why do I have to do that?" James asked. "I think the dust gives our humble abode a nice, lived-in look." He grinned.

"Yeah, well, Damon and Aunt Lucy are coming to dinner, remember," Lenora told him. "And I don't want her to think we're slobs. Do you?"

"You know," James told her. "I've heard that you can tell whether or not people are your real friends by if you clean before they come to visit or not. If they're your real friends, they won't care how messy you are!"

"Even if they don't, _I_ do," Lenora told him. "Get off your ass right now. Or if you don't want to clean, you can watch Henry and Susanna. Take your pick. It might just be easier for me to do this by myself anyway."

"Well, all right, then," James told her. "I'll watch Henry and Susanna while you clean. I have no doubt you'll do a lovely job."

Lenora scoffed. "Yeah, of course I will." As he walked away, she remembered to call after him, "and don't you go letting Henry feed Susanna bugs again! Be more observant this time."

"That was two years ago!" James replied without turning. "It didn't seem to have affected her much in the long run. I think _Henry_ was more traumatized by it than she was."

"Even so," Lenora told him. "Watch them closely, okay?"

"_Okay!_" James replied. "I promise I will!"

Lenora cleaned up until Lucy and Damon showed up that night. Lucy and Damon entered a house that smelled strongly of lemon-scented cleaner and was spotless.

"Did you clean for us?" Lucy asked Lenora in shock. "You really didn't have to."

"See?" James said. "I _told_ you!"

Because they'd been confined to their rooms for most of the day so they wouldn't mess up the house, Henry and Susanna were full of energy. When Susanna saw say Damon, she ran up to him and grabbed his pant leg. "Hide and go seek!" She demanded.

"Just a minute now, Susie," Lenora told her. "Aunt Lucy and Damon just got here. Maybe Damon doesn't want to play hide and seek now."

"It's all right, Lenora," Damon told her. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Lenora asked.

"Yes," Damon told her. "It's fine. Not much different from when I used to play hide and seek with you, and if I remember correctly, you didn't always ask in the politest possible way either." But he said it with a twinkle in his eye, and when the two of them left, Henry came to sit next to Lucy.

"Do you read books?" He asked her shyly.

"Yes," Lucy smiled. "I _love_ books. In fact, I'm gonna go to school and study and after I finish studying, they'll give me a paper that says I know more about books than anyone else."

"Margaret likes books," Henry told her. "I kinda do, but not a lot of them."

"Well, even if you just like a couple, that's a good start," Lucy told him. "What sort of books do you like?"

"Ones about _pirates_!" Henry exclaimed.

"Oh!" Lucy grinned. "Have you heard of _Treasure Island_? Or _Kidnapped?"_

"No," Henry shook his head. "Margaret can only read _Pete the Pirate Goes to Sea. _Not _big_ books. Are those big books?"

"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "They are. But they're very good."

Henry looked inquisitively at his mother. "Will you read me those big books, Mommy?"

"Sure!" Lenora nodded. "I'd be glad to."

James groaned and stood up. "I'm gonna go get a drink. Does anyone else want anything?"

"I do!" Henry exclaimed. "Same thing as you, Daddy."

James grinned. "What I'm having you're too young for," he said. "How about juice?"

"Awww!" Henry groaned. "Why can't I have rum?!"

"Because you're too young, your father said that already!" Lenora answered. "You're seven. You shouldn't even know what rum is!"

Henry grinned widely. "But I _do_ though!"

Lenora scowled at James. "And I think we know who to thank for_ that_," she replied.

"As long as I don't let him drink any, what's the harm in him knowing about it?" James asked.

Lenora just sighed and let it go, not wanting to prolong the argument. She poured Henry some juice and although he scrunched up his nose at the sight of it, he drank it anyway.

"So," Lenora said to Lucy as they all sat down to dinner. "Were you saying to Henry that you plan to get another degree?"

"Yeah," Lucy smiled. "I am. My doctorate in Medieval and Renaissance literature."

"Oh, how interesting!" Lenora replied.

"Yeah, and when she's done, I'll be living with a doctor!" Damon grinned. "It's a wonderful prospect."

Susanna came running in a few minutes later. "I win!" She said.

"Yes!" Damon replied, taking her on his lap. "You _do_ win. Good for you!"

Lucy frowned. "Were you just gonna leave her where she was, Damon?"

"I'm not surprised," Lenora replied. "When I was little and _we_ would play, he would take unscheduled breaks too and then I would come out a long time later to find out that he wasn't even looking for me anymore."

"When did the two of you play hide and seek?" James asked.

"Oh, when I was little and my parents were out, he was my babysitter," Lenora informed him. "I thought I told you that."

James shrugged. "Well, if you did, evidently I wasn't paying attention."

"_There's_ a surprise," Lenora replied, rolling her eyes.

For the rest of dinner, conversation was light and pleasant, and when it was over, James helped Lenora with the dishes while Damon continued to play with Susanna and Lucy read with Henry.

"I think that went well," Lenora told him. "And thanks for helping me with this."

"You're welcome," James told her. He scrubbed a pot in silence for a moment, and then said, "I know this is a sore subject, but don't you think I ought to meet your father sometime?"

Lenora tipped her head in Damon's direction. "You already know the guy who was the closest thing I ever had to a father," she replied. "And he likes you."

"What about the man who made you?" James asked. "I think I should meet him."

"No," Lenora shook her head. "You shouldn't. You wouldn't like him anyway. He's an asshole." Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" James told Lenora. He went to get the door and came back a few minutes later holding a dog that had a note attached to his collar. Susanna heard the barking and came running into the kitchen.

"Puppy!" She cried, a huge grin on her face. She got down next to him and started to pet him. "Be gentle," Lenora told him. "You don't want him to bite you."

"Where do you think he came from?" James asked. "What if he's a stray?"

"He's not," Lenora told him. She took the note off the dog's collar and read it.

_"Ladybug,_

_I heard that you have kids now and I thought they might like to get to know Rusty. He's been living with your mother and me, but I could tell he missed being around kids, so I'm giving him to you. Take care of him and enjoy him._

_Love,_

_Dad"_

Lenora groaned and threw the note in the trash. "Of all the nerve," she sighed.

"Are you not a dog person?" James asked. "And I can't believe your father calls you Ladybug. That's adorable!" He grinned.

"I grew up with this dog," Lenora told him. "First he was my grandma and grandpa's, then Dad took a liking to him so he grew up with my parents and me, and now Dad's given him to me to keep. Probably as some sort of a bribe. Between Rusty and calling me by his old pet name for me, I think he's trying to get me to do something for him, but I won't. I just won't."

James looked at Susanna, who seemed thoroughly smitten with the dog. "Well," he said, "If you're thinking of sending the dog back on principle, I believe it's too late for that now."


	10. Working Girl

"I can't believe you let Henry have rum," Lenora told James. "He's only seven years old! Giving him that stuff now could impair his development. Did you even think about that when you did it?"

"Relax, would you?" James told her. "I just gave him a little cause he was curious. It wasn't even close enough to being a problem. Besides, I drank when I was his age and I turned out all right."

"Things were different when you were a kid," Lenora reminded him. "They thought water was evil, bathing was bad for your health, and still burned witches at the stake, for crying out loud. Basing rules now on what was acceptable back then is completely unreasonable!"

"Even so," James replied firmly, "I think I should be allowed to handle Henry and Susanna as I see fit, as long as what I do causes them no long-term harm."

"Oh, please," Lenora scoffed. "You wouldn't know the first thing about raising a child properly if someone came up to you with a how-to book for raising children and hit you over the head with it!"

"If I'm not allowed to have input on how Henry and Susanna are raised," James asked, "Then can I inquire as to what the exact nature of my position is in this house? Am I just around for breeding purposes while you do whatever you damn well please?"

"Maybe," Lenora replied. "Cause at least I'll care about their welfare, unlike you!"

"Well my goodness," James told her. "How you're speaking to me right now seems very similar to how your mother talked to your father when you were a child. No wonder he left. A saint wouldn't be able to deal with you when you're like this!"

"So you're just gonna leave?" Lenora asked.

"No," James told her. "But I'm going to the ship. And when I get there, I don't know how long it will be before I feel like coming inside again."

* * *

That night, James heard a knock on the wall of the ship. "What?" He asked tiredly. "Lenora, I told you that I would come in when I was ready, but not before. Don't push me!"

He turned and saw her standing just outside the doorway of the bedroom. "Aren't you gonna go away like I asked you to?" He questioned.

"I didn't come here to start a fight," Lenora told him. "I came to say 'I'm sorry', and that if you won't come in, I'll just come out. Max is with the kids so he can take care of them if anything happens during the night."

James watched her pull the covers of the bed aside and then strip off her clothes. When she was just in her underwear, she grinned at him. "These are new," she said.

James rolled his eyes. "If you think you can talk to me the way you did, and then lure me back with sexy underthings, you are sorely-" He was cut off as she sped to him and put her mouth on his. His hands roamed down her body as he backed her up against the bed, slipping her panties off so they fell to the floor before he picked her up and set her down on the mattress. Then he undressed himself and climbed next to her, pulling her to him. "You're a wicked siren," he told her. "You know that, don't you?"

Lenora grinned, her hand gently stroking him. "You bet I do," she replied.

* * *

Damon and Lucy decided to stay the night and the next morning, they were the first ones up, so they decided to watch Henry and Susanna until James and Lenora showed up.

"She really likes you," Lucy observed as Susanna crawled into Damon's lap and refused to go anywhere else. "I think that's cute."

"Just a sign that she's related to your mom," Damon replied. "I mean, think about it; I've been a favorite of your mother, her daughter, her granddaughter, and now her great-granddaughter. What's so likeable about me anyway?"

Lucy smiled. "You can't expect me to just pick one thing, can you?" She asked. "Cause there's really so much to pick from. You especially look adorable with her on your lap like that." She sniffled.

"Are you all right?" Damon asked, putting down Susanna. "Lucy, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," Lucy replied. "Nothing at all."

But it was soon apparent that something _was_ wrong. Lucy began her studies and despite her previous promises of hugging and morning sex, although she did both willingly, it wasn't with the enthusiasm Damon was used to. Also, the only time she seemed happy was when they visited Lenora's and she got to play with Susanna and Henry.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked her before she fell asleep one night. "Have I done something to bother you that I don't know about?"

"No," Lucy shook her head. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Well, I'm used to more enthusiasm than you've been giving me lately," Damon told her.

"I've just been tired, that's all," Lucy replied.

"Are you lying to me, Cookie Monster?" Damon asked. "You know you can tell me if something is wrong and I won't judge you."

"I know you can't have kids," Lucy told him. "And the thing is, that being around Susanna and Henry has made me realize that I want to. It just makes sex seem kind of...purposeless."

"Oh, _that_ makes me feel real good," Damon said. "Thanks."

"You said you wouldn't judge me!" Lucy reminded him.

"Well, what do you want to do about this?" Damon asked. "Get a dog or something?"

"I guess, if that's the best you can do," Lucy sighed. "Thanks."

"Actually, it's not the _best_ I can do," Damon told her. "The best I can do is a repeat of how your brother Sam got here."

"Really?" Lucy asked. "You'd do that for me? Are you sure that's not dangerous?"

"Nothing bad happened last time," Damon replied. "How about I go tomorrow?"

"Oh, you don't have to go tomorrow," Lucy replied. "It's too soon. You can wait until I've at least _got_ my doctorate, and that's a few years away. But thank you for at least thinking about it."

* * *

"Another bad day with your dad, huh?" Roxie asked Laura as the younger girl strode into Enid's looking frustrated. "I know he can be a bit much sometimes."

"Yeah, right?" Laura replied, sitting at the bar. "Now he's trying to set me up with this guy who's totally wrong for me. He wants to control my entire life and I hate it!"

"He's just looking out for you in his own overbearing, clumsy way," Roxie assured her. "It will get better."

Laura scoffed. "Yeah, but what if it doesn't? Things would be so much more tolerable if I had a place to go where he wouldn't be there looking over my shoulder and controlling everything I do."

Roxie grinned. "Well, you know he's never gonna come _here_," she replied, plunking down a job application in front of her. "You don't have anything against being a waitress, do you?"

"Around here?" Laura asked, her face brightening. She took the application and put it in her purse. "Heck no! I would love it."

Roxie smirked. "I would _love_ to see the look on Uncle Elijah's face when you show him that. Take a picture for me, will you?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded as Roxie plunked down a root beer in front of her. "I will."

When Laura got back home, she decided not to delay the inevitable. "Dad?" She called. "Mom? Can you come out here, please? I'd like to talk to you."

Selina emerged a few seconds later. "Your dad's working on something at the moment. What can I help you with?"

"I was at Enid's today, and Roxie told me that they needed a new waitress, so I got an application and I wondered if it would be all right for me to fill it out and hand it in. Can I?"

"Sure," Selina nodded. "I don't see anything wrong with you working at Enid's. We know lots of people there and they'll look out for you."

"Okay, good!" Laura nodded. "I'll go fill this out and hand it in tomorrow."

"Wait!" Selina replied, putting a restraining hand on Laura's arm. "Shouldn't we tell your father about this before you do that?"

"Mom, you know that if we tell him, he's just gonna say no," Laura replied. "That's why I think we should keep it between us."

"Your father will notice you aren't here when you're working," Selina reminded her. "And he'll wonder where you are, so I think we should tell him."

Laura rolled her eyes as they made their way toward Elijah's office. This wasn't gonna go well. When they reached it, Selina gave a knock. "It's Laura and me," she called. "Can we come in? We have something we need to talk to you about."

"Come in," Elijah called.

They went in and sat on the opposite side of Elijah's desk.

"Well, ladies," he said to them. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I'm thinking of getting a job," Laura said. "I got an application today."

"Well, wonderful!" Elijah exclaimed. "Where is it? The art museum? The theater? Tell me. I want to know all about it!"

"It's at Enid's," Laura told him. "I want to be a waitress."

Elijah's face fell. "No," he said immediately. "Absolutely not."

"Should I go while you two hash this out?" Laura asked, standing up.

"Yeah," Selina replied. "That might be best."

Laura left and Selina gave Elijah a hard look.

"What is so wrong with Laura working at Enid's?" She asked him.

"How could you ask me that?" Elijah replied. "You know what kind of place it is. Did you honestly think I was going to allow her to work there?"

"It's _completely_ safe," Selina argued. "She'll be just fine. You have to let her have her own life to a degree. You can't keep controlling everything she does."

"I'm only trying to protect her!" Elijah responded. "You should be thinking that way too!"

Selina sighed. "I'm all for protecting her," she told him. "But at the same time, I know what it's like to grow up with a parent who didn't want me to establish my own identity and instead was more concerned with me turning into what _she_ thought I should be, and I hated that." She sighed. "Would you be willing to compromise with me about this?"

"No, I certainly will not!" Elijah replied. "You can leave now," he told her. "I'm very busy."

Selina rolled her eyes and left. It wasn't over. She just had to wait and catch him at a time where he would be more agreeable.

* * *

"What if we give her a week?" Selina asked after Elijah stripped off his clothes and joined her in bed that night. "What if we tell Laura she can go work at Enid's for a week and if nothing bad happens, she'll be allowed to continue, but if she ends up being uncomfortable, or is hurt, or anything else bad happens, I'll allow her to be taken away from Enid's and sent to work at whatever neat, well-respected establishment you have in mind and not complain at all. Can we do that?"

"Do you_ promise _you won't try and interfere if I have to pull her out?" Elijah asked.

Selina nodded. "I promise. So I can tell Laura she at least gets a trial run at Enid's?"

Elijah sighed. "I guess, but I can't say I'm happy about it."

"Aww, thank you!" Selina grinned and kissed him. "I know that was hard for you, so how about I give you a reward?"

"Just a minute now," Elijah told her. "You can't just be bossy and then kiss me and expect everything to be better."

"Why not?" Selina asked. "It works for you all the time. And what exactly am I doing wrong anyway?"

"I'm still not comfortable with Laura working at Enid's," Elijah told her.

"Well, we knew that was gonna be the case," Selina said. "But you already told her yes, so don't blow it by taking it back now."

"I'm not here to be her friend," Elijah told her. "I'm here to be her father, and it doesn't matter to me if Laura likes me or not."

"Yes, it does," Selina nodded. "You love her very much and I _know_ it would hurt you deeply if she got so mad at you that she left one day and never came back. Not everyone can be like you Elijah, and look at a strict parent and realize that what they're doing is for the best so it would be good to play along. It would be nice if we all were. It would make things a lot more tolerable. But Laura, she's like me; if you push too hard, all she's gonna do is fight back. You have to compromise even if you don't think that's the right thing to do. Ease up on the leash just a little bit and Laura will stay with you. She'll know you love her enough that if she _does_ make mistakes (and she will), she can come back to you without fear of judgment so you can point her in the right direction."

"Why can't I just point her in the right direction _now_?" Elijah asked. "It would be so much easier!"

"Because right now, what you think is the right direction for Laura is not necessarily what she thinks is the right direction because what she thinks is the right direction has not become the wrong direction yet," Selina replied. "Do you understand?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "And you're making my head hurt. Can we talk about something else?"

Selina grinned and put her arms around him, a wicked twinkle in her eye. "Or we could just not talk at all."

* * *

"So how come you didn't come with your dad and me to school today?" Edward asked Laura a week later.

Laura just shrugged. "You two are so in love with each other, I figured you would want some time alone, so I took _my _car. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"No," Edward replied, turning serious. "I only asked because you usually come with us and I wondered where you were."

"Why would you wonder that?" Laura asked as she put her books in her locker.

Edward shrugged. "No real reason," he replied. "Just pure curiosity."

At that moment, a group of boys approached Laura. The biggest one of them grinned. "Hey," he said as he put something in her back pocket. "Are we gonna see you at the bar today?"

Laura grinned at him. "You bet you will!"

The other boy gave her a wink and strode off.

"What is he talking about?" Edward asked Laura. He looked incensed. "You shouldn't be at a bar! And where does he get off touching you like he did?"

"Calm down, will you?" Laura asked. "He was just giving me a note, that's all." She pulled it from her back pocket. "See? And I'm not just _going_ to the bar. It's my job. I'm a waitress."

Edward frowned. "Does your father know you're doing that?"

"Well, _duh_!" Laura replied. "Mom and I went through a hell of a lot to get him to agree to it, though."

"Just where is this bar that you work?" Edward asked. "Is it a place I would know?"

Laura snorted. "Not likely. If you showed up there, they would probably tear you to pieces!"

"Oh, I don't know," Edward replied. "I'm tougher than I look. What's this place called?"

"If you're checking it out for my dad, he's already been there," Laura told him. "And I think he's even had fun, though he won't admit it out loud."

"The name, please?" Edward pressed.

"Why does it matter?" Laura answered. "It won't mean anything to you." But Edward's severe look reminded Laura so much of her father's that she finally broke down. "It's called Enid's," she said. "There, I've told you. Are you happy?" She paused. "What?"

"I know that place," Edward said quietly. "And we have to get you out of there."

"Why?" Laura asked. "What lame excuse do _you_ have?"

"It's full of _werewolves_!" Edward exclaimed, his eyes large. "If you're not careful and they find out you aren't one, they'll kill you!"

"I'm not an idiot," Laura told him. "I knew Enid's was a werewolf bar before I went to work there. My grandma is part werewolf, and that side of the family is where I got my gene from." Then she realized what Edward had said. "I know how _I _ know about Enid's, but Edward, how do _you_ know that Enid's is a werewolf bar?"


	11. The Threat Of A Rebellion

"I-um," Edward went silent.

"You can't just do that," Laura told him. "You _have_ to tell me!"

"No, I don't!" Edward told her. "It's none of your business!"

"Are you a werewolf too?" Laura asked, finding it hard to believe that this scrawny boy with his slicked back hair, glasses and button-up shirt could be the same type that she'd served drinks to at Enid's for the last week.

"I might be," Edward told her. "Or I might not be. I could be asking you the same question."

"I have werewolf potential," Laura replied. "But I bet my father won't allow me to become one. Especially not after what happened with my brother."

"Your brother turned?" Edward asked.

"Yeah," Laura replied. "He did. Dad kicked him out afterward."

"How did your mom feel?" Edward asked.

"She wasn't upset like Dad was. She knows that sometimes shit happens and you can't do a thing about it."

"So is your mom...?" Edward began.

"I've already answered some questions from you," Laura replied. "Now tell me, are you a werewolf too?"

Edward sighed. "Everyone in my family is but me. I'm a bit of a disappointment to them, actually. And I've been dragged to Enid's countless times in the hope that finally I'll 'come to my senses' and activate my gene. But I just don't want to. What's so wrong about that?"

"So let me get this straight," Laura said, feeling surprised. "You have the same problem I do, only your parents want you to be badder than you are, and my dad wants me to be 'better' than I am. Parents suck, don't they?"

Edward nodded. "I wish mine would let me be."

Suddenly, he got a twinkle in his eye. "Do you think that if I asked, your father would let me come live with you?"

"Probably," Laura nodded. "I bet you'd find him a lot easier to live with than I do."

"How could you think he's bad?" Edward asked her. "I think he's great!"

Laura raised an eyebrow. "You would, wouldn't you?"

Edward shrugged. "Yeah," he replied. "I would."

"Is your family really so bad you want to get away from them and go live somewhere else?" Laura asked. "They can't be_ that _bad."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Ask if you can come home with me after work sometime and I'll show you what I mean."

"This is your house?" Laura asked in surprise. It looked like a perfectly ordinary house, medium-sized and painted white with green shutters and a brown wood door.

"What did you expect it to look like?" Edward asked.

Laura shrugged. "I don't know. More like something animals would live in. That looks completely normal!"

"And we do too," Edward reminded her. "_Most_ of the time." He took a deep breath, got out of his car, and Laura followed. "Stay behind me," he said. "It'll be safer for you that way."

Feeling a little frightened, Laura followed him to the front door, and he pulled out a key to put in the lock. When the door opened, he called out, "Mom? Are you home?"

"Is that you, Edward?" A shrill voice called back. "It's about time you got here! What took you so long to come home? Have you been avoiding us and hanging out at that library again?"

Edward looked at Laura, rolled his eyes and sighed. "No, Mom!" He replied tiredly. "I was just bringing a friend to visit. You wanna come and meet her?"

"Is she one of our kind?" The woman called back.

"She works at Enid's!" Edward answered.

Just then, a woman dressed in black with long dark hair and dark eyes appeared and smiled at them. "Well, hello, there!" She said when she saw Laura. "You _do_ work at Enid's, don't you?" She reached out and shook Laura's hand. "How are you?"

"Good," Laura replied. "I'm Laura Mikaelson, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Edward's mother paused. "Mikaelson? Any relation to Roxie?"

"Yeah," Laura replied. "She's my-" She paused to think about how Roxie was related to her. "She's my cousin," she said finally.

"How nice," the woman smiled. Her teeth were shiny and kind of big. "Why don't you come in and have a drink?"

"Well, is Dad home?" Edward asked, putting a restraining hand on Laura's arm.

His mother nodded. "He should be home in a little while. Why don't the two of you stay so he can meet Laura? I'm sure that will make him happy. You tell us so little about your life."

"That's because whenever I _do_ tell you anything about it, you mock me and tell me I'm living wrong and should become active like the rest of you," Edward told her. "And I won't. I think it's horrible how it's done."

"Why?" His mother asked.

"Because it's killing _people_, Mother," Edward replied. "What gives us the right?"

His mother rolled her eyes. "For the thousandth time, they aren't _people_, Edward! They're _prey_, and we have every right to hunt them down and kill them when we need to."

"What about the other days of the month when we _don't_ need to?" Edward asked. "What then, Mother?"

His mother rolled her eyes and scoffed, and then gave Laura a look. "He's always been like this," she confided. "I just don't know where he gets it from. His brothers and sister are perfectly normal, but _him_...?" She threw up her hands, turned, and walked away.

Laura watched her go and then turned to face Edward. "Wow," she said. "No wonder you want to move in with me and my parents. If that's your mom, I don't want to imagine what your dad thinks."

Edward nodded. "So now you know why I want to come live with you and your parents."

"How would we do that, though?" Laura asked. "Would you ask your parents, I ask mine, and if they both say yes, then you come and live with us?"

Edward shrugged. "I don't know. But it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot."

* * *

"You're so kind to take me in like this," Edward told Elijah a few days later. "I know it could be awkward having me here."

"Nonsense!" Elijah scoffed. "Why would that be? We have plenty of room. It's our pleasure to have you. Laura told me about how your morals stack up against your parents' and I have to say I'm proud of you for standing your ground."

"Well, thank you," Edward told him. "To me, they were just advocating senseless violence and I didn't want to be a part of that."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that here," Elijah told him. "We're very much against killing in this house." He led Edward to a room and opened the door. Edward stepped inside and gasped. The room was so big.

"Are you sure this is the room you want to give me?" Edward asked. "It seems a little big."

"Of course this is the room we want to give you!" Elijah replied heartily. "It used to belong to Laura's older brother, but he left and it's been sitting empty ever since. No use letting it be empty when you could use it!"

They spent the rest of the day moving Edward in, and as he was preparing for bed, he heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he called. Laura entered a few seconds later. "So," she said, looking around. "Do you like your room?"

"Yeah," Edward nodded. "It's nice. Your dad said it belonged to your brother, and that he left, but didn't you say your dad threw him out once he activated his gene?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "That's true. Dad's always gonna put it in terms that aren't harsh though. I think you've become the replacement son."

"I bet you're wrong," Edward assured her. "I bet I didn't come here to replace your brother at all and that your father is only being nice."

However, in the master bedroom, Selina shared Laura's concern as she watched Elijah change. "While I still have my wits about me," she said, "Would you mind telling me why you gave Edward Gregory's room?"

"Gregory isn't here," Elijah said firmly. "And from the way things look, he will not be returning to this house. Therefore, I see no reason to dwell on the past and preserve the room as some sort of shrine to Gregory when Edward, who _is _here, needs it much more. We can't stay in the past, Selina. We have to move forward, always."

Selina sighed. "I know that what Gregory did was wrong and that I had a big part in it, but Elijah, you're asking me to forget my oldest baby. I can't do that. I didn't spend the time and the effort bringing him into this world just so I could forget him the second he does something wrong. Can't you give Edward another room? _Please_?"

"I'm tired," Elijah told her. "And I don't want to discuss this anymore tonight. Let's just sleep and we'll address this again in the morning." He finished undressing, got in bed, and turned away from her, shutting his eyes, but he still heard her mutter, "I bet we won't address it tomorrow. Not now that you have your way."

* * *

The next morning, however, Elijah woke up some time before Selina did, and it gave him time to think over what she asked. By the time she woke up, he was prepared to grudgingly admit that he'd been wrong the night before.

"Really?" Selina asked in surprise. "You'll give Edward another room?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Elijah replied. "Since we have so many. But what are you planning on doing with Gregory's? Just letting it lay empty forever? Darling, that's ridiculous!"

"It won't be empty _forever_," Selina assured him. "Just until the pain of Gregory not being here doesn't hurt me so much anymore."

* * *

"You aren't gonna be going soft on me because of how things went with that girl I took to the hospital, right?" Katherine asked.

"No," Gregory shook his head. "Why would you think that that's how it would be?"

Katherine shrugged. "I was just curious." He strode over to her, pulled her to him and began playing with her hair, twisting around his fingers, sometimes so hard that she winced.

"You have such beautiful hair, Katerina," he said.

"Yeah," Katherine replied through her teeth. "And I'd like to keep it that way, so stop pulling, would you?"

At that, his fingers trailed out of her hair and he shoved her against the wall. She closed her eyes for a moment when her head hit, but then she opened them again, looking into his eyes and not blinking.

"You know what I did to the man I took away, Katerina?"

"What?" Katherine asked, her voice breathy. "Show me."

"Okay," Gregory replied. With a deliberate shake, he slammed her against the wall twice. "Not exactly the same effect," he told her. "I slammed him against_ glass_."

"Is that all?" Katherine asked woozily.

"No," Gregory smiled. "There was _this _afterward." He pulled her to him and sank his fangs into her neck, sucking for a little while until Katherine had the wherewithal to unzip him and and stroke him. Then he paused, easing his fangs from her neck and kissing her deeply.

He then picked her up and took her to bed, ravishing her soundly until she didn't have breath left in her body. Afterward, he looked down at her. "Now," he whispered, "I would like you in the library. It's dusty in there."

"I don't have breath left in me to move," Katherine coughed. "How can you expect me to dust a whole library?"

"Don't look at me," Gregory shook his head. "You think of a way. It's your job. I have other things to do, so I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me."

He left and Katherine looked after him with a frown on her face. How could he do that? How could he just use her and then throw her away like trash? It was so annoying. But, she reflected, by not treating her in the annoyingly cloying way he would have if he seemed to care about her, he was saving her from having to make any sort of real commitment and that was a real relief.

Groaning and rubbing her head, she winced. Being gentle was not his forte. She got out of bed and considered dressing and going to the library as he'd asked her, but then a thought crossed her mind. She wondered what he would do if she just stayed in here and didn't go to the library at all. She giggled. It would probably make him really, _really_ angry. Well, it was an experiment worth trying, just to see what he did.

* * *

"I know it's been a week and nothing's happened," Amanda told Gregory when she saw him. "But are you absolutely sure he won't be coming back for me? Because the thought makes me absolutely terrified."

"You don't have to worry," Gregory assured her. "Didn't you see the news report that said he was found torn apart in the woods? A wild animal got to him."

Amanda winced. "Well, that's a relief, I guess."

"Exactly," Gregory told her, coming to lay a supporting hand on her back. "You just stop worrying and relax. It's what would be best for you right now."

"All right," Amanda nodded and mustered up a smile for him. "I will. Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson."

"You're welcome," Gregory replied with a smile. "Now, if there's nothing more you need, I have to go to the library and see if it's been dusted like I asked."

Amanda nodded and Gregory excused himself. He went into the library and saw almost immediately that the library, which should have been spotless by then, was still covered in dust. Frowning, he turned on his heel and strode out. "Katherine!" He called angrily. "Where the hell are you?"

"Do you need something, sir?" Asked Louise, his secretary. "Can I help you?"

"I was just looking for Katherine," Gregory told her. "She was supposed to dust the library and she hasn't done it. You haven't seen her around, have you?"

Louise shook her head. "No, sir. I have not."

Rolling his eyes, Gregory headed back to the last place he'd seen her. He opened the bedroom door and saw her lounging on the bed with a grin on her face. "Well, hello there," she greeted.

"I thought I told you you were to go dust the library," he told her through his teeth.

Katherine nodded. "You did. But I didn't feel like it. Are you going to punish me?"

Gregory stared at her smirking face and something occurred to him. "No," he replied. "Because that's what you _want_ me to do, isn't it?" He strode right up to Katherine so that they were eye to eye. "Get off the bed," he ordered.

"Isn't that a little counterproductive?" She asked.

"I told you," Gregory replied sharply. "I have no interest in fulfilling your selfish desires at this point, especially since I've already done it once today. You have to find other ways to occupy yourself and you can start with dusting the library!"

Katherine scowled. "Why me?" She asked. "Why can't you ask one of the girls to do it? What are _they_ doing to earn their keep?"

"The girls are victims of savage, brutal men," Gregory told her. "They are guests of mine, thus they don't have to do anything to ensure their place here. You, on the other hand, do."

But Katherine was undeterred, her hand creeping under his jacket. She licked her lip and then got up next to his ear as best she could. "You know," she whispered, "If you think about it, I'm the victim of a savage, brutal man," she blew in his ear. "Aren't I, Gregory?"

He pushed her away. "I'm not savage or brutal to people who don't deserve it," he replied tersely. "And don't try and play the innocent card with me. I'm well aware that if I was kind to you, you wouldn't want me."

Katherine nodded. "You're right. I wouldn't. I think I'll go dust the library now. All I ask is that you keep the door closed and don't let anyone in until I've finished."

"Why not?" Gregory asked.

"Well," Katherine replied, "not that I consider myself particularly modest, but occasionally I get the urge to stroll around the house sans clothing. This could be one of those times and I don't want to traumatize the girls anymore than they've already been traumatized."

"This is some trick, isn't it?" Gregory asked. "Are you trying to get out of work again?"

"Of course not," Katherine replied, a twinkle in her eye. "But if you're concerned, you're welcome to come and watch me if you like. Just to be sure I do it exactly the way you like it."

Rolling his eyes, he followed Katherine into the library and locked the door behind him. Katherine obligingly stripped down, grabbed a duster and began to move around the library as Gregory took a seat in one of the plush reading chairs to watch her. In the middle of her performance, however, his phone rang. He thought of just letting it go through to his voicemail, but when he saw who it was, he grudgingly decided to answer it.

"What?" He asked sharply, his eyes still on Katherine. "I'm a little busy at the moment."

"That's a nice way to talk to your mother," Selina replied. "I just want you to know that your father has a new protege he's invited to come live with us, but if you ever feel like coming home, I convinced him to keep your room empty for you."

Gregory looked at Katherine. He would definitely _not_ be leaving this house any time soon. "You know," he told his mother, "That is so sweet of you, but I really can't get away at the moment. But I'll keep your invitation in mind and come when I can, okay?"

"All right," Selina replied. "You just keep doing what you need to do and know that I'm thinking about you. Goodbye, sweetie."

* * *

"I don't know about this whole 'bonding with Adrian' thing that Kol wants me to do," Felicity told Stefan. "Not only do I _not _think he deserves it, but what's gonna happen when he finds out that I'm lying to him? Won't that just make things worse?"

Stefan nodded. "It could. And you know how I feel about this plan of yours anyway."

"Yeah," Felicity nodded. "I know you hate it."

He was already undressed and watched as she undressed and came to bed.

"I _do_ hate it," he said. "And if anything bad happens to you because you're doing a favor for these witches who don't really deserve anything from you, I won't hesitate to kill them all. I'm serious about this."

Felicity sighed. "I know you are. But you just have to trust me that nothing bad will happen, all right?"

"I don't know," Stefan sucked in his breath. "I-" Felicity cut him off, kissing him and then they became so involved with each other that they didn't hear Helene open the door and come into the room, and they only paused when she cleared her throat to announce her presence.

Stefan immediately rolled off of Felicity and tried to be nonchalant. "Hello, Helene," he told her. "What brings you here? Can't you knock?"

"I _did_ knock," Helene replied. "But no one came to answer the door. And now I know why."

"Well, tell us what you want and then go," Stefan told her shortly. "We were in the middle of something."

"I know," Helene replied. "I saw."

"And you have no right to be upset about it," Felicity told her. "You have no control over what I do."

"I realize that," Helene told her. "And I think it will be easier on everyone if I just keep my mouth shut."

"Good," Felicity nodded. "Now, what did you come in here for?"

Helene tried to remember. "I forget," she said after a few minutes.

Stefan groaned. "You came in here and interrupted us and you can't even remember what for? Well, thanks a lot!"

"Maybe I should go now," Helene sighed. "That might be best. Goodnight." She zipped out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

"Well, that was weird," Felicity said after a moment. "Wasn't it?"

"We're screwed," Stefan said. "I know she told me she was gonna keep it quiet, but what if she tells Adrian? He's gonna tell your father, and then you know what will happen?" He made a slashing motion across his throat.

"Lighten up," Felicity ordered. "Stefan, you worry _way_ too much."

"Easy for you say," Stefan told her as he settled into his part of the bed again. "He didn't threaten to slowly and brutally murder _you_."

* * *

Despite Felicity's constant assurance that Helene would keep her mouth closed, when Klaus called Felicity's cell the next day, Stefan ran into his room and closed the door, refusing to come out when Klaus asked to speak to him.

"He can't come to the phone right now, Daddy," Felicity said. "He and Adrian are out at the moment. What's up?"

"I've been remiss about calling to check up on you," Klaus replied. "Everything going okay?"

"Yes," Felicity replied. "Everything is fine."

"And you're at Adrian and Helene's?" Klaus continued. "You got there all right and everything?"

"Yes," Felicity nodded. "Adrian wants to bond, but I'm just not ready to yet. And he's not exactly the most popular person in town."

"That doesn't surprise me," Klaus told her. "Our family has been part of a power struggle with the witches for control of New Orleans for centuries."

"Yeah, well," Felicity replied, "You're winning at the moment, but I don't know how long it will last. The witches have a brother of yours on their side."

"They haven't tried to hurt _you_, have they, pet?" Klaus asked. "Is that how you know all this?"

"No!" Felicity replied. "It's just a lucky guess. I'm fine, I promise!"

"Well, good!" Klaus told her. "Because if they hurt you, I'd have no choice but to come down there and deal with them myself! They can't mess with my family and get away with it! I'm glad Adrian has held them down as long as he has. For all this faults, at least there's that."

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "At least there's that."

"You know," Klaus continued. "With this threat of rebellion from the witches, Adrian could probably use an extra hand. That and I've missed you dearly. How about I come down there and visit?"

"No!" Felicity replied. "You don't have to."

"Why wouldn't you want me to?" Klaus asked. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Felicity replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "It's just that I've done a lot of soul searching while I've been here and I've decided to give Adrian a chance. I want to bond with him, but I'm worried it will be difficult if you're here. Don't get me wrong, I want to see you sometime. It's just that that time is not now. You're not too lonely without me, are you?"

"No," Klaus sighed. "I've invited Roxie, Vince and the kids to come stay with me until you get back."

"Well, it's good you have a way to keep yourself entertained," Felicity told him. "I've got to go now, so-"

"Before you hang up, is Stefan back yet?" Klaus asked. "I would like to speak to him."

"Just a minute," Felicity replied. She headed to their bedroom where Stefan was hiding out and she held out the phone to him. "He wants to talk to you," she whispered. "And he won't hang up until you do, so just man up and talk to him, would you?"

"Fine," Stefan sighed and put the phone on speaker. "Hello, Klaus."

"Well, hello, Stefan!" Klaus replied. "Nice to hear from you. How have things been going?"

"Fine," Stefan replied, trying to keep his voice relaxed. "Everything's been fine. I haven't let Felicity out of my sight since we got here."

"Good," Klaus told him. "She told me about a witch uprising happening down there, so you two be careful. I would even suggest you share a room with her so you can keep an extra close eye."

"You want me to share a room with her?" Stefan asked. "That's a surprise."

"I said _room_," Klaus told him. "Not _bed_. She'll be in her bed and you'll be sleeping on the floor on either side. With witches planning a rebellion, you never know what will happen to her, especially since they seem to know who she is! So be on your guard, will you? I trust I don't have to tell you that."

"No," Stefan replied. "As for Felicity's room, you don't have to worry. I've already moved in."

"Wonderful," Klaus replied. "Always on top of things, aren't you?"

"Yes," Stefan replied. "I would say I'm definitely on top of things." He hung up the phone, then he and Felicity stared at each other as long as they could before they broke into loud, simultaneous laughter.


	12. A Prodigal Son

Gregory told Selina goodbye and then strode over to Katherine, pushing her up against the wall and kissing her hard.

"Who?" She asked as he kissed down her neck. "Who was that, Gregory?"

Gregory shook his head. "Never mind," he growled. He unzipped his pants and impaled her. But before she could let out a shriek, he put a hand over her mouth. "Don't you scream," he said. "I don't want anyone to be frightened and think they're unsafe here."

Katherine grinned. "Well, isn't that ironic?" She panted. "Considering why most of them are here in the first place? I'll give you a hint: they aren't Vestal virgins, any of them. Are they?"

"That doesn't matter," Gregory replied. "They are here to be protected and I will honor that!"

"Oh, blah, blah, blah," Katherine replied. "Now, where were we? I hate it when things are stopped in the middle."

Gregory sighed and slowly eased out of her. "You know what?" He asked. "I'm done. I don't feel like it anymore."

Katherine frowned. "That is so lame. I think you still want to."

Gregory shook his head and zipped up his pants. "No," he told her. "I don't."

"Was it because of who was on the phone?" Katherine asked. "Who was it? Another girl you're stringing along? Should I be jealous?"

"No," Gregory told her. "Because newsflash: you and I are _not_ in a relationship!"

"Just because we're not in a relationship doesn't mean I want you paying attention to other girls," Katherine replied. "It would hurt my feelings."

"And guess how much I care about that?" Gregory replied. "Not at all."

"You should," Katherine replied. "Do you know what I do when my feelings get hurt?"

"Yes, I do," Gregory replied, going nose to nose with her. "And if you have a temper tantrum and hurt any of these girls, I promise you that you will be hurting worse. I give you my word on that. I can always find another fuck buddy, but these girls are irreplaceable. Now, get dressed and go find a way to entertain yourself. I'm done with you for now."

* * *

"Who was it on the phone?" Katherine asked Gregory again a few hours later. "Do I know them?"

"I don't have to tell you who it is," Gregory replied. "It's not any of your business."

Katherine smiled. "Oh, come on," she replied. "Don't be like that. Just tell me."

"No," Gregory shook his head. "I won't!"

"Fine," she said, a twinkle in her eye. She grabbed his arm and tried to get his phone out of his back pocket.

"Would you stop?" Gregory asked, pushing her away. "I told you it was none of your business."

"I don't care," Katherine told him. "I want to know anyway, and if you don't tell me, I'll find out some other way."

Gregory sighed. "Fine," he told her. "It was my mother. Are you happy?"

"Awww!" Katherine replied, clasping her hands together. "You're still getting phone calls from Mommy! That is so sweet! What did she want?"

"It's enough that I told you who called," Gregory replied. "I'm not telling you anything else. Now go find some way to entertain yourself, would you, instead of just bothering me."

"Come on," Katherine encouraged, massaging his shoulders. "Don't be like that, Gregory. I _know_ you'd be lonely without me here."

Gregory shrugged her off. "No, I wouldn't. I survived perfectly well without you before you got here and I can continue that pattern very nicely. I don't really need you. You're just here to pleasure me when I need it. That's all. Just like when I was a child and the only reason you put up with me was because my adoration fluffed up your already inflated ego. It hurts, doesn't it, Katerina?"

Katherine shook her head. "_Nothing_ hurts," she replied. "Not anymore." She stepped away from him. "I'm just gonna go now."

"If you need to rest, you can go to our room," Gregory suggested. "That way, it will be easy for me to find you when I need you."

She frowned and stomped off, and then he called Selina again. "Do you really think Father will let me come home?" He asked. "He seemed pretty sure about wanting to throw me out."

"Well, if you don't come around a full moon, I'm sure he'd be willing to accommodate you now that he's had time to cool off and think things through. That, and he's found himself a new friend."

"What do you mean?" Gregory asked.

Selina sighed. "Your father is worried about Laura. He has in his head the idea of the sort of boy he wants her to date and he's found a candidate. His name is Edward and he doesn't get along with his parents, so your father invited him to stay with us. At first, he gave him your room, but I talked him out of that, thank goodness."

"Wait a minute!" Gregory replied. "Are you telling me that Father is _replacing_ me?"

Selina sighed. "I don't like to think so. I hope he's just nurturing Edward because you're not here. I would like to think you're not being replaced. At least to me, you're not."

"Well, thanks, Mother," Gregory told her. "At least I have that."

"And you're well?" Selina continued. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," Gregory replied. "But I would like to come and see this other boy for myself. I'll leave tonight."

"Be careful," Selina warned him. "I don't want you getting hurt."

* * *

Gregory sneaked out of the house that night without telling a single soul where he was going. He pulled away from the house and drive in silence for awhile, until he hit a bump and heard a whispered "_oooof_!" from the back seat. He pulled onto the shoulder and stopped the car, opening the back door and peering in. Sure enough, there was Katherine.

"What are you doing in my car?" He asked her.

"Coming on this little adventure with you," she replied, sitting up. "I was curious."

"Get out!" Gregory told her.

"What?" Katherine asked. "Do you realize how far from the house we are?"

"You can walk," Gregory told her. "Don't forget, you left Laura, Colin, and me in the middle of the road once and saw fit to drive away. I don't see how, taking that into consideration, it's wrong to do the same thing to you when you stow away in _my_ car."

"How close are you to where you're going?" Katherine asked.

"I'm going to my mother and father's," Gregory replied. "Apparently, I've been replaced and I want to see the competition. Not that it's any business of yours."

"I could help you kill him," Katherine suggested. "Then it would be useful to have me along."

"I'm not gonna kill him, whoever he is," Gregory replied. "If Father likes him better, that's his prerogative. I just want to see what sort of person he is."

"Awww!" Katherine grinned and ran her fingers through Gregory's hair. "Is someone a little jealous?"

"No!" Gregory shook his head and swatted her hand away. Then he grabbed her cheeks and locked eyes with her. "If I can't make you go, you can come," he said. "But you will stay in the car and not say a word from now until we leave my parents' house, all right?"

Katherine scowled and nodded grudgingly cause she couldn't do much else. Then, Gregory continued driving and parked in the street across from Elijah and Selina's and stared intently at the driveway. A few seconds later, the front door opened and Elijah came out of the house, a boy following beside him and Laura lagging behind. Gregory knew that it would be best to stay in the car, but he couldn't help himself. He told Katherine to stay where she was and got out, approaching his father and the boy.

"Hello," he told them. "Nice night, isn't it?"

"Gregory!" Elijah said. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

Gregory locked eyes with Edward. "Mother told me that you had a new addition and I thought I would just stop by and welcome him to the family." He smiled at the boy. "What's your name?" He asked. The boy tensed. "Edward," he said quietly.

"Well, Edward," Gregory reached out and began shaking his hand. "Welcome to the family. I hope you enjoyed my room and whichever room you have now."

"Gregory..." Elijah said through his teeth. "Don't."

"What am I doing?" Gregory asked. "I just came to say 'Hello'."

Both Edward and Laura looked back and forth between Gregory and Elijah, who were watching each other without blinking. Laura took Edward's hand. He stared down at their clasped hands in surprise before Laura gave him a sharp tug. "Let's go wait in the car, shall we?" She asked him. "I don't think we want to be in the middle of this."

They scampered away and Gregory spoke. "I didn't come here to cause trouble, Father," he said. "I promise."

"You should go now," Elijah told him. "Back to your house, where you belong. It's better that way." And he strode off to his car before Gregory had time to reply.

* * *

"Phone call for you," James told Lenora. "I think it's your father."

Lenora looked at James in surprise. "My father? Why would he call me here? How did he even get my number?"

"I don't know," James replied. "But take the phone."

Lenora sighed. "All right," she said, taking it from him. "Why not?" She put it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Lenora?" Adrian replied cautiously. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," Lenora answered. "Did you want something?"

"I just wondered if you got Rusty," Adrian replied. "Your grandmother told me she'd send him to you."

"Yeah," Lenora replied. "We got him. And thanks. Susanna's really taken to him."

"Who was the guy who answered the phone?" Adrian asked. "Your husband?"

"Yeah," Lenora replied. "He is. So, what did you want?"

Adrian cleared his throat. "Well, your sister and I are getting along surprisingly well now and I just thought it would be nice if you could come to lunch with us sometime. Would you want to do that? Of course, I understand if you don't."

"I'll think about it," Lenora replied. "Just give me time."

"All right," Adrian replied. "Goodbye, Ladybug."

Lenora hung up the phone and looked at James for a moment before striding away.

"What happened?" James asked, running after her. "What did he say?"

Lenora sat down hard on the bed. "He wants me to come to lunch with him," she replied. "You know, to bond. I don't know if I want to, though."

James shrugged. "So don't go," he told her. "No one said you had to."

Lenora groaned and lay back on the bed. "This is so _stupid_!" She replied. "Things were so much easier when we had no contact with my family at all. Now, all of a sudden, I can't go one day without a reminder of them!" She rolled away from James to face the opposite wall. "Would you leave me alone, please?" She asked, her voice muffled.

"Sure," James replied, standing up. "Of course." He strode toward the bedroom door and heard a bark from outside. He opened the door to find Susanna standing there with Rusty beside her.

"Daddy play with puppy?" She asked.

James gave Lenora a long look and then turned back to his daughter and picked her up. "Why not?" He asked. "Cause I think your mother needs to be left alone at the moment."

* * *

"Gosh, I hope Lenora comes to lunch with us sometime," Felicity told Stefan. "Adrian said he was gonna invite her and I really want her to say yes!"

"Why?" Stefan asked, running his fingers up and down her back. "Because you miss your sister?"

"Well, yeah, that," Felicity nodded. "And it'll be nice to have backup with Adrian_ and _possibly recruit another witch to the cause. I can only do so much by myself."

I will again repeat to you that you don't have to do it at all if it gets to be too much for you. _Especially_ if it's only a silly sense of obligation that has you doing it in the first place."

"No, it's not just that," Felicity replied. "I genuinely like helping, even if the way I do it drives me crazy cause he's not telling me anything pertinent, and I can't go back and see Kol until I have something to tell him."

"Well, how about you stop thinking about that now and I put your mind on something else?" Stefan asked.

Felicity nodded. "I think I would like that very much."

They rolled around for a little bit and then Felicity heard Adrian calling out her name. Resentfully, she got off the bed, smoothed her skirt, and buttoned up her blouse before going to see what Adrian wanted.

"Well, there you are!" He replied when he saw her. "I've been looking all over for you!" He reached for her and she let him give her a brief hug. "Okay," she said after a few seconds. "That's enough."

Adrian let her go and said, "I got a hold of Lenora and gave her the invitation."

"You did?" Felicity asked. "Did it sound like she wanted to come?"

Adrian sighed. "No," he said. "Not really. Not that I blame her at all."

"I'll tell you what," Felicity replied. "I bet I can make her come. Just give me a little time."

Adrian brightened. "You think you can do that?" He asked. "Well, aren't you a darling?"

Felicity shrugged. "I think it would just be more fun with all of us, you know. Making up for lost time and that sort of thing."

"Yes," Adrian nodded. "I completely understand."

"It'll work," Felicity assured him. "I'll get her here. I promise."

* * *

At three the next morning, the phone rang at Lenora and James' castle.

"My god," Lenora whispered, bolting upright and grudgingly getting out of bed. "Who calls this time of night? They'll wake up the entire house!" Half awake, she stumbled to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?" She asked sleepily.

"It's Felicity," said a voice on the other end of the line. "Sorry for calling in the middle of the night, but I figured there'd be less of a chance we'd be overheard this way."

Lenora's mind cleared. "Felicity? What are you talking about?"

"You_ have_ to come to lunch with Adrian even if you don't want to," Felicity told her. "Adrian and Helene have imprisoned the witches here and some of them have banded together to fight back along with one of Daddy's brothers. They let me help them, but I don't know how long I can go by myself. Will you help too?"

"Does Grandma Astrid know about this?" Lenora asked. "If she did, we could get the whole council in on the fight!"

"Exactly!" Felicity replied. "But it can't be right away. We don't even know what sort of things we're dealing with yet. That's why I'm bonding with Adrian, so I can know all the plans."

Lenora grinned. "I figured that it wasn't because you suddenly loved him. You are a sneaky girl and I am proud to call you my sister."

"So I can tell Adrian you'll come?" Felicity asked.

"You bet!" Lenora replied.


	13. Someone You Thought You Could Trust

Gregory strode to the car, got in, and slammed the door to the front seat. A few seconds later, as he was starting it up, Katherine placed a note next to him. It read: We're going already? But you didn't even let me out of the car!

Gregory groaned and let the engine idle. "I told you we weren't gonna kill him." He told her. "With the way Father is watching over him, we wouldn't have a chance." He locked eyes with her. "I suppose you can talk now," he said.

Katherine gasped as if she'd been holding in a breath. "So sad we're just going home," She replied. "I would have loved to say Hi to your father."

Gregory scoffed. "I bet he'd be as happy to see you as he was to see me, which was not very."

"Well," she said, "now we can either go back to the house, or we can find a hotel somewhere for the night. I'm sure those girls could manage one night without us."

"What makes you think I want to spend a night alone in a hotel with you?" He asked.

"Okay," she shrugged. "I would also be open to doing it here in the car in your father's driveway. Imagine what he would say if he found us."

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Gregory asked her in disgust. "Don't you have any other hobbies besides sex?"

Katherine smirked. "Why would I?"

"Let's just go home," Gregory told her. "I think I've seen enough here."

"What are we gonna do when we get back to the house?" Katherine asked.

"I don't know," Gregory replied as he backed out of the driveway.

He thought it would be best for them to drive home in silence, but that wasn't what Katherine had in mind. She kept touching him and blowing into his ear, and finally, he said to her, "would you stop? What you're doing is incredibly distracting and I don't want to crash! I like this car too much."

"Fine," Katherine replied, rolling her eyes and sitting back in her seat. "Whatever."

They got back to the house and Gregory was pleased to find out that nothing bad had happened in his absence.

"I say we go to bed," Katherine replied. "What about you?"

"I agree," Gregory told her. Her eyes brightened and she followed him to the room, but he slammed the door in her face before she could get in. "Hey!" She called. "You said you wanted to go to bed."

"I know," Gregory called through the closed door. "I didn't say I wanted to go to bed with _you_! Can't a man get one good night's sleep for himself?"

"But where am _I_ supposed to sleep?" Katherine called.

The bedroom door opened a crack and Gregory said quietly, "Try the couch. I hear _it_ is very comfy." He heard her stomp away and then got in bed and hit his pillows repeatedly. He'd known when his father had kicked him out that their relationship had changed, but he'd had no idea that it would change so much his father would want a replacement son!

Growling, he got out of bed and went looking for Katherine. When he found her, she was asleep. "Get up!" He ordered her.

"Why?" She yawned. "What do you want?"

"I need to go out," he said. "And work off some of my anger. You wanna come?"

"Who says you have to go outside to work off anger?" Katherine asked. "We could work off anger right here on this sofa!"

"I need to go out," he told her. "I need to hunt. I need to kill. If you want to come with me, fine. If you don't, you can stay here." He turned to walk away, but Katherine's voice stopped him. "You're serious about this?" she asked. "You really want to kill someone?"

Gregory nodded. "Or multiple someones. It depends. Now are you coming, or not?"

"Yes," Katherine replied, and put on her clothes again. She'd not felt like changing into pajamas that night. "This is something I have to see."

* * *

"Hey!" Felicity nudged Stefan and he grudgingly sat up. "What do you want?"

"I got a hold of Lenora and she said she'd come and help us! Isn't that great?"

"Sure," Stefan nodded. "But you know what's also great? Sleeping!"

Felicity smiled. "You are such a whiner!" She tucked herself in and lay her head on the pillow. "Do you think what I'm doing is wrong?" She asked.

"Well, what are you referring to?" Stefan asked.

"This whole 'lying to Adrian' thing," she elaborated. "Am I doing a bad thing?"

"I don't know," Stefan replied.

"Cause I mean he _did _abandon me," Felicity continued. "And he made it pretty clear that I wasn't wanted."

"That's true," Stefan replied. "He did." He shut his eyes. "Can we talk about this another time? It's a bit deep for four in the morning."

Felicity sighed. "Fine," she huffed. "Go to sleep. Whatever."

Later that night she was up, found Helene up getting tea, and sat next to her. "What are you doing up this time of night?" She asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "I just wanted to talk to Lenora and the time difference between here and whatever dimension she's in is really weird. Three in the morning was the only time we could talk."

"I didn't know you knew Lenora all that well," Helene replied with a grin. "That just warms my heart!"

"I have a question," Felicity said. "Why do you hate the witches around here? You're one, right?"

Helene nodded. "I was born one," she said. "But I made some mistakes a long time ago and they took my powers away."

"I had no idea they could do that!" Felicity said, eyes wide. "Just what did you do?"

Helene sighed. "I suppose I owe you the truth," she said. "I was never happy with Adrian taking you to live with your grandfather. He didn't consult me about it at all, and when I found out that you were gone, I was terrified. When I found out where you were, I took you back, but then discovered that raising a baby on my own wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. You cried day and night and I wasn't getting any sleep, so one day I..."

"You what?" Felicity pressed. "Helene, what did you do?"

Helene teared up. "I put a spell on you so that I wouldn't have to hear you cry," she said. "Felicity, I am _so_ sorry!"

Felicity scoffed. "What is _with_ you and Adrian?" She asked. "First he gets rid of me, and then you take me back only to put my life in jeopardy because you're selfish too? I could have _died_!"

Helene nodded. "I know," She said. "Why do you think Mom took my powers away?"

"And you're helping Adrian enslave the witches because of something that was entirely your own fault? Is that the purpose behind this? Some sort of revenge? If so, you don't need revenge, you need personal responsibility," Felicity continued. "And I hope you gave Lenora a better childhood than you gave me. _One_ of us deserves it, anyway."

Helene just nodded mutely and Felicity strode away, more certain than ever now that helping the witches was the right thing for her and Lenora to do.

* * *

"What's up with your brother?" Edward asked Laura. "Do you think he hates me? Is that why you held my hand?"

"Gregory's got a bit of a temper," Laura said. "Just like Dad. You saw."

"Why would he be so upset about me having his room if he doesn't live with you anymore?"

"Because he and Dad were close once," Laura said. "And maybe he feels like you're replacing him."

"Well, I'm not trying to," Edward replied. "If I'm gonna cause trouble, I can leave."

"Oh, don't even think about it," Laura replied. "My brother was just being a crybaby. You don't have to worry." She paused at his grin. "What?"

"The way you were just talking, it seems like you _want_ me at your house!"

Laura flushed a little. "Well, it makes tutoring me easier, that's all," she said. "And I'm glad you're staying for Dad's sake." Suddenly, a flash of lighting appeared in the sky and caused Laura to start.

"Don't worry," Gregory told her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "It's just a little atmospheric discharge of electricity. Nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm_ not _afraid!" Laura yelled, pushing him away. "It just startled me a little, _okay_?"

"Is everything all right?" Elijah asked them. "Or do I have to come back there?"

"No," Laura shook her head. "Daddy, you do _not_ have to come back here, cause everything is fine. Now keep your eyes on the road, would you?"

But everything wasn't fine, and the storm continued through the night. As Laura got into her pajamas and picked up a book, she listened to the thunder crash and the lightning flash and took a deep breath. "It's all electricity," she told herself. "That's what Edward told you and he's so nerdy that probably correct. And electricity is nothing to be afraid of, unless you're a caveman or something."

She kept trying to read, but couldn't concentrate. Then, she got in bed and _still_ couldn't make herself be calm enough to get a good night's rest. Sighing in exasperation, she got out of bed and tiptoed out of her room, striding around in the dark until she found Edward's door next to hers, opened it, sneaked in, and climbed into bed beside him. Then she took his arm and placed it around her middle. His body warmth, even under his pajamas, made her feel secure enough that despite the thunder, she was able to fall asleep.

But she wasn't asleep for long, though, because shortly after, she was awakened by a few pinches on her arm. She sat up, turned on the light, and then faced a shocked Edward. "What did you do that for?" She asked. "I'm trying to sleep here!"

"I-I just wanted to make sure you were real and that I wasn't hallucinating," Edward replied, looking shocked. "It's not every day that I get a girl in my bed."

Laura nodded. "Probably because you pinch them when you do!"

"I'm sorry," Edward replied. "I really am. What's the matter? Are you here because you're really afraid of the storm?"

"I just don't like it," Laura replied. "I'm not _scared_ of it. I'm not scared of anything!"

"All right, then," Edward nodded. "You're not scared of anything. Would you like to stay here until tomorrow? It's all right if you do. I don't mind."

"Really?" Laura asked. "I'm not gonna be teased about this later, am I?"

"No," Edward shook his head and held out his arms. "I promise."

Laura considered him for a moment and then sighed and cuddled against him.

"Good night," she told him.

He grinned and ran his fingers through her hair as she closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Laura."


	14. Letting Yourself Feel

**A/n- There is a brief scene of a character cutting in this chapter. Be warned if you have a trigger for that sort of thing.**

"So what are we gonna do?" Katherine asked as they made their way out of the house. "Are we actually gonna hunt, or will we be lame and just compel whoever we find to be docile and not mess with us?"

"Based on the mood I'm in, what do you think?" Gregory asked.

"Why are you so upset anyway?" Katherine asked. "I thought you hated your father and would be glad he has a distraction now."

"I never said I hated him," Gregory corrected. "Yes, I am disappointed that he's so sanctimonious and holier than thou that he cannot allow me to live my life the way I choose, but I suppose everyone has their opinions. I thought, however, that he could look past that, based on how good our relationship has always been, but I guess not."

"Someone misses their daddy," Katherine mocked. "How _sweet_."

"Well, do _you_ miss him?" Gregory asked. "You and he _were_ a thing once, right?"

Katherine nodded. "Up until he and your uncle threatened to kill me, yes we were. But it was no good for me to dwell on sentiment after that. I figured that if the only use he had for me was to help his brother, then he was no good for me anyway. After that, we'd occasionally get together for a booty call over the years, but it was nothing serious. Now he's improved, the thing that ruined our relationship is past, and your mother gets to reap the benefits." She scowled. "Now_ I _feel like killing someone too."

"Well, all right then," Gregory nodded. "Let's go."

"Wherever it is that we go, I want us to have to _work_ at the hunt, okay?" Katherine requested. "No going to a fancy restaurant and drinking from the waiter that comes to our table. That's too easy."

Gregory raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you want to actually _hunt_, Katerina?"

Katherine nodded. "Well, of course! Isn't that what you meant when you said you wanted to kill someone?"

"Well, not exactly," Gregory admitted. "Being able to hunt naturally was not a skill that was fostered in me all my life, because as you remember, Father is against it."

"Well, you're not living with him anymore!" Katherine replied. "So that's really no excuse. Now, are you gonna hunt with me, or not?"

Gregory looked down at the suit and nice shoes he was wearing. "Can't we go home so I can change first?" He asked her. "I really don't want to be getting my clothes dirty."

Katherine burst out laughing. "You are such a wuss, really. Who gives a damn about your clothes?"

"_I _do," Gregory replied. "They were very expensive and if I get them dirty, I'll have to have them dry-cleaned!"

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Start the car," she ordered. "I'll tell you where to go."

"Here," Katherine replied when she and Gregory were in the middle of some woods. "Stop here."

"Here?" Gregory asked. "Why?" He stopped the car and he and Katherine got out. "There's a farm house down that way," she replied. "I've been to this area every so often and every time I've come, there's been a family living at that farm house with oodles of children. I'm sure they wouldn't miss a few."

"No," Gregory shook his head and backed away from her. "You do whatever you want, Katherine, but I'll have no part in it."

"Gee," Katherine replied, running her hand up his chest. "What a shame. It really would have been a turn-on for me."

"Don't you ever get tired of this, Katherine?" He asked her. "Don't you realize your ruthlessness will get you into trouble some day?"

"No, it won't," Katherine replied. "How do you think I've survived all this time? I'm not an idiot. If you want to stay in the car, stay in the car, but don't deny me my chance."

"Fine," Gregory replied. "But I'll tell you right now that what I think you're doing is a mistake."

Just as he got in the car, he heard a giggling noise and Katherine smiled as a small shape shot out into the clearing. Katherine licked her lips sped forward and grabbed it, sinking her fangs into the child's small body. Just then, she heard a voice. "What the hell are you?" It asked. She looked up at the man who must've been the boy's father. She lay the little body down and quickly compelled him to forget what had happened as his father produced a knife and began stabbing Katherine with it.

"No!" Gregory yelled, getting out of the car and coming up behind the man in an attempt to wrestle the knife away. "Stop! What are you doing?" Gregory wrested the knife away and he and the man separated.

"She's some sort of demon," he panted. "She was hurting my son!"

"I understand," Gregory told her. "I promise I will make your son well, and then she and I will leave and not come back." He quickly compelled the father to forget what he'd seen Katherine do and healed the little boy before ushering Katherine into the car and driving away from the woods.

"Are you ashamed?" He asked her. "You really shouldn't feed off of children. Now you're hurt!"

"Oh, relax," She panted. But blood dripped all over Gregory's upholstry anyway. "I'll get better soon."

"Why didn't you fight back?" Gregory asked. "You could have! Easily!"

There was silence in the car for a moment and then Katherine began to sob quietly. "You really think I'm some sort of monster, don't you?" She asked.

"You wanted to kill _children_, Katerina!" Gregory responded. "What am I supposed to think?!"

"You're supposed to realize that you're a predator!" She cried out. "And that you can't...and you can't let pointless sentimentality get in the way of what you need to do to survive." But then she burst into tears again and sobbed all the way to the house. Once they arrived, Gregory carried her inside and put her to bed.

"It's gonna be all right," he told her, wiping her eyes. "Tomorrow will be a new day and you can make better eating choices." He turned to leave the room and Katherine asked, "Why are you leaving? You can stay."

"No," Gregory shook his head. "If you were thinking clearly, you wouldn't want that, and I want to respect that, Katherine." He left Katherine alone and she slept fitfully that night.

The next morning, Gregory came into the room to check on her and he found a note on the pillow.

_Gregory,_

_You were kind to me last night, more kind than anyone has been in a long time. And that's why I had to leave. I don't want to risk this being some sort of dream that I'm going to wake up from only to be disappointed by reality. I don't want you to try and look for me. Have a nice life._

_Katerina_

* * *

As the sun filled Edward's room with light, he shut his eyes tighter and turned on his other side to face away from it, and as he turned, his bleary eyes opened and he gazed at Laura beside him in the bed. He blinked once or twice, then fumbled around to reach for his glasses on the bedside table. He knocked them off the table, gave up on getting them, and reached out to touch Laura's arm. She groaned and moved closer to him. Then, a few seconds later, her eyes half open, she smiled at him. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," he returned, his brain still feeling a bit fuzzy. She had a beautiful smile. "Can I kiss you?" He asked.

"Sure," she nodded. He kissed her, and while that was going on, Elijah opened the door a crack. When he saw them, warmth flooded through him. It was working! He grinned and shut the door, just as Laura's eyes widened and she and Edward quickly separated. "What was that?" Laura demanded. "What did you have to go and kiss me for?"

"I don't know!" Edward responded. "I was drowsy at the time and it seemed like a good idea. What's_ your _excuse?"

Laura's eyes narrowed. "I was drowsy too! And I was just waking up from a dream where I was with someone much better looking than you and we kissed, and I probably thought I was still there!"

"Get out of my bed," Edward ordered her. "Now."

"Fine," Laura told him, pushing the covers aside. "Whatever. I was all ready to go down to breakfast anyway."

She left and Edward shook his head. She had been so much nicer last night. What was her problem?

"You actually saw them kiss?" Selina asked Elijah as they sipped their coffee at the kitchen table. "Really?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded, doing his best not to look too smug. "I peeked in there and there they both were in his bed, fully clothed, of course, and she kissed him!"

Selina looked at Elijah's shining face and shook her head. "Honey, I think you're much too invested in this. I'm a little worried about you."

"But why?" Elijah asked. "Why can't I be excited that Laura is dating someone appropriate?"

"You think they're dating?" Selina asked, trying her hardest not to laugh. "One groggy kiss in bed does not make a whole relationship."

"But it _could_," Elijah told her. "Don't discount the possibility."

"All right, sweetie," Selina nodded, kissing the top of his head and then returning to her coffee. "Whatever you say."

A few minutes later, Laura came in the kitchen with Edward following a distance behind her.

"So," Selina asked Laura. "How did you sleep with the storm going on last night? Did you do all right?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded, plunking herself down in a chair as Elijah smirked, laughed a little, and Selina elbowed him in the gut, which caused him to frown. "Thanks for asking. Daddy what's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," Elijah replied, trying to catch his breath. "Nothing at all." He turned away from her to pay attention to Edward, who was coming to sit opposite the side of the table Laura was on. "Good morning, Edward."

"Good morning," Edward replied cheerfully as the rest of the kids trickled into the kitchen and sat down. "You know, I like that you have such a big family. It's the one thing that appealed to me about my own house."

"Who are you again?" Annaliese asked.

"I'm Edward," Edward replied. "I go to school with Laura."

"But why are you _here_?" Annaliese pressed, pushing her dark brown hair out of her eyes. "You're not related to us!"

"It's true he's not, but I invited him because his family isn't so nice," Elijah told her. "And I expect you to be polite to him."

"She's not polite to _anyone_!" Margaret piped up. "When we watch movies with scary parts, she tells me that she'll warn me about them so I can hide, but then she doesn't and I get scared. Can I leave this house and go live with Henry?"

"No, you may _not_ go live with Henry," Elijah replied. "You have to stay here."

"But you just said that Edward got to live somewhere else because his family was mean to him," Margaret complained. "Why can't I do that?"

"Annaliese, you be nice to your sister," Elijah told his older twin daughter. "It's not nice to bully people."

"It's not _my_ fault she falls for it every time!" Annaliese replied.

"Just don't do it," Elijah replied shortly. "End of story."

Annaliese looked at Selina. "Mommy!"

"Listen to your father, Annaliese," Selina replied without looking up. She looked at Colin. "So what are you doing with yourself today?"

"Well," Colin thought a moment. "Would it be okay if I went to Valerie's after school? We have to work on a science project."

"Is it all right with her parents?" Selina asked. "And you're gonna help her with it, right? You aren't gonna make her do all the work?"

"No!" Colin shook his head. "I'm gonna help. Except sometimes she asks me not to because she's good at projects and I'm not so much."

"Well, all right," Selina nodded. "As long as you offer your help and the arrangement you two have works for you, I suppose it's all right. If you wanted, though, you could come here and work on it."

"No, thanks," Colin shook his head. "Valerie and I need to concentrate and there are always too many people around here."

"Are Valerie's parents gonna pick you two up and take you to their house from school, or do you need me to pick you up and drive you?" Selina asked.

"They're gonna pick us up," Colin replied.

"Good," Selina nodded. "We'll see you when you get home, then."

* * *

Later, Edward asked Selina if the two of them could talk.

"Sure," she replied and they went into his room and shut the door. "I know that it must be difficult having me here," he said to her. "I realize you didn't exactly have any say in the matter. If you want me to go, I can go. It's not too bad for me at home."

"Don't be silly," Selina told him. "You can stay. I've got nothing against you at all. It's just that...well, you know Laura has a brother who used to live here but doesn't anymore, right?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "I've met him. He stopped by here not too long ago."

"Well, I just don't want Elijah to be so wrapped up in you that he forgets about Gregory," Selina continued. "Do you understand? Elijah was hurt badly when Gregory left and I think part of his motivation for having you here is to help himself get over the broken heart Gregory made him have."

Gregory nodded, but despite her assurance that his presence was not a problem, he still felt guilty. That night, he packed up his bags and lugged them to the front door. Just as he was about to load them into the car, though, he heard a voice: "Where are you going?" It asked.

He turned away from the door to find Laura eying him curiously.

"I'm going back to my house," he said. "It was very kind of your father to invite me to stay here, but I can't. Not when your mother made it abundantly clear that if I stay, it will be at your older brother's expense, and I don't think that's right."

Laura looked at him for a long moment and then went to find Selina. She forced her way into the library where her mother was reading, stomped over to her, and said, "I hope you're happy! Edward is leaving now and it's all your fault!"

* * *

Felicity thought she would be able to handle what Helene had told her, but it turned out to be harder than she thought, and one day, Stefan found her in the bathroom, cutting her arms and face with a broken piece of glass.

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked, snatching it away from her. "Don't you do that!"

"Why not?" Felicity asked. "Nobody loves me. Not even the people who made me. What the hell is wrong with me, Stefan?" She threw herself into his arms and sobbed. Although she got blood on his shirt, he didn't care, but held her instead and let her cry. "That's it," he told her, kissing her hair. "We need to get you out of here, at least for a little while. I don't care what a bunch of witches want you to do."

Felicity looked up at him, her eyes wet. "But where would we go?" She asked.

"I don't know," Stefan told her. "But anywhere is better than here. And nothing is wrong with you. You're beautiful and strong and I love you, all right?"

Felicity sniffled and shook her head. "You're just saying that. Leave me alone, Stefan. _Please_."

"No," Stefan replied. "Normally, I would let you decide what to do with yourself and respect what you chose, but I can't let you do this! We're leaving here right now!" He picked her up and carried her out of the bathroom.

"But what am I going to tell the witches?" She asked him. "They're counting on me, Stefan."

His eyes narrowed. "If we run into any of them, you are going to say what you should have said from the beginning of this: 'Fuck you'. And then, I will kill them. I don't care how much it hurts me, I won't let them pressure you into doing anything that would make you hurt yourself."

"But what I was doing had nothng to do with the witches!" Felicity replied. "That was all because of Helene!"

"Even easier," Stefan grinned. "A new vampire is so much easier to kill than a witch." He put Felicity down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her along with him. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"I told you," he replied. "I'm going to kill Helene for all she did to you. And I'm going to give you the privilege of watching." He sat her down and called Helene into the living room.

"Yes, Stefan?" She replied when she came in.

"Would you like to hear what I found your daughter doing a few minutes ago?" Stefan asked.

"What?" Helene replied.

"I found her cutting herself," he replied. "Her arms and her beautiful face were covered with blood because _you_ didn't think she was good enough and that upset her!" He grabbed Helene by the throat and pushed her back against the wall. As Helene gagged and his grip tightened, Felicity sat frozen. She knew that what Stefan was doing to Helene was wrong, but she couldn't make herself move to stop him, and, truth be told, there was a small part of her that didn't want him to stop. But just when Helene began to see black dots swirl in front of her eyes and feel like she wouldn't be able to get a good breath, they all heard a voice.

"What in the hell is going on here?!" Adrian cried and pulled Stefan away. "Stefan, what is _wrong_ with you?"

"Let me go!" Stefan cried sharply. "Let me go, and then Felicity and I are leaving. She's too good for this place and I just don't want to be here."

Still feeling shocked, Adrian let him go and he pulled Felicity up, escorting her from the house.

"Where are we gonna go?" Felicity asked him.

"I don't know," Stefan shrugged. "You still have your powers. Pick a place. Anywhere is better than here."

Sighing, Felicity zapped them to James and Lenora's front doorstep.

"Why do I feel so queasy?" Stefan groaned.

"It's what happens the first time a non-witch travels through dimensions." Felicity's voice was curt. She knocked on the doorbell and then heard barking and giggling. Then, a dark haired, blue-eyed boy opened the door. "Yes?" He asked after pushing a small blonde girl and a dog out of Felicity's vision. "What do you want?"

"I'm Felicity," Felicity replied. "My sister Lenora lives here and I just wondered...is she home?"


	15. You Can Come Home Again

"Why are you so worked up about Edward being gone?" Selina asked her. "I thought you hated him and here you are yelling at me about making him go. Do you like him or something?"

"No!" Laura scoffed. "Mom, don't be silly. It's just that Dad was correct about his parents being bad people and he shouldn't have to put up with that."

"Well is he still here?" Selina asked. "Why don't you go and tell him that? Although I still think you like him."

"No, I don't!" Laura shook her head. "At least not the way you, or especially dad, is implying."

"I don't know why you're so defensive," Selina replied. "If you gave him a chance he could be good for you. And if he's anything like your dad, he won't be half-bad in bed, either." She grinned fondly.

"Mom!" Laura looked disgusted. "Why did you even_ tell _me that?"

"Why do you think we have six kids?" Selina asked. "You never know. Edward could be the same way and then you would be missing out because you're being stubborn."

"If I admit that he's not so bad and tell him he can stay, will you stop telling me disgusting stories about you and Dad?" Laura asked.

"Sure," Selina shrugged. "Why not?"

Praying that Edward hadn't left yet, she ran back to where she'd left him, breathing a sigh of relief when he was still there.

"You're still here," she remarked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I am. I decided that I'm not gonna go unless you want me to. Do you want me to?"

Laura sighed. "No," she said. "I don't. But don't think that just because I stuck up for you this once that I'm gonna be coming into your bed every night because I'm not!"

Edward smiled. "Even so, I'll keep the blankets pulled aside for you in case you change your mind."

Laura smiled. "I don't think that will happen," she said. "But...I'm glad you're staying. The place where you live? That's no home for you. You'd be much better off here."

Edward nodded. "Good night, Laura," he said. "Sleep well, in whichever bed you choose."

Laura nodded. "I will," she replied. "You too."

* * *

The next morning, Laura got dressed and made her way to Edward's bedroom because she'd left her toothbrush and toothpaste in his bathroom. The door to the bathroom was closed when she reached it. She knocked and heard Edward's reply. "Who is it?" He called.

"It's Laura," she called back. "I left my toothbrush and toothpaste in your bathroom and I need it now."

"Well, can you wait?" Edward called back. "I just got out of the shower and I'm not exactly covered up."

"Do you think I care?" Laura asked. "And this is really an emergency. I'm coming in whether you like it or not!" She forced her way into the bathroom and let out a brief shriek. Edward was trying to cover himself up with a towel, but was unsuccessful. When he realized that she'd seen everything, he just sighed and let the towel drop to the floor. "This is exactly why I didn't want you coming in here yet," he said. "I'm a modest person, but now that you've already seen everything, let's all just congregate in here and talk."

He saw that she was staring intently and he snapped his fingers so she was looking at his face and not anywhere lower. "Don't you have a toothbrush to get? You said it was some sort of emergency."

"I did?" Laura asked, her blue eyes wide. "Thanks for reminding me what I came in here for. I saw you and I totally forgot."

"Why would I make you forget?" Edward asked. "And would you stop _staring_ at me?" He finally got the wherewithal to pick up the towel and tie it around his waist, a deep flush covering his face. Disappointed, Laura grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and headed toward the door. But before she left, she gave Edward a wink. "You're hot!" She said. "And you probably don't realize that, do you?" She shut the door and Edward removed the towel and gazed at himself. "I'm hot," he repeated. "That's an interesting hypothesis. I should test it." He then dressed and and he and Laura and Elijah went off to school.

* * *

Later, at lunch, Laura was sitting at a table with her friend Lilly and her cousin Addie when they caught her staring at a nearby table.

"Whatcha looking at?" Lily asked, flipping her red hair out of her eyes. "Not Edward Quinn."

"I just wondered who he was with," Laura said, gesturing at the girl who was talking with Edward animatedly. Her hair was strawberry blonde and straggly and her blue eyes were hidden behind glasses. "I've never seen her before."

"My brother knows her," Allie replied. "She's the president of the science club. Her name is Ruth or something. She really seems to like him. Good thing, too. If she takes Edward, it means more good-looking boys for the rest of us."

"I think Edward is good looking in a way," Laura replied. "He's not exactly my type, but he's not bad." She was gonna keep how good he looked without a towel to herself. That was no one else's business but hers and Edward's.

After school, she caught up with Edward as they both walked out. "So," she said. "Who was sit you were talking with at lunch today? You really seemed to be enjoying yourself."

"Her name's Ruthie Andrews," Edward replied. "I've always kind of liked her, but I never had the courage to say anything until you told me you thought I was good-looking this morning. That gave me the courage to finally ask Ruthie out. Thanks a lot. I owe you one."

"No problem," Laura called back as he walked away. "There is nothing I like more than helping you get dates." He gave her a wave over his shoulder, and when she climbed in beside him, she leaned forward to whisper to her father, who was in the front seat, "Could you drop me off at Enid's before you and Edward go home?"

"Why?" Elijah asked. "You don't work today."

"I know I don't, but...I just need to go there," Laura replied.

Elijah sighed. "All right," he said. "But don't stay for too long." He grudgingly drove her to Enid's, watched her go inside, then he and Edward headed out. Laura went inside and sat down at the bar.

"What's the matter with you?" Roxie asked. "Man trouble?"

"She was staring at Edward Quinn at lunch today," Addie told her mother. "I think she likes him or something."

"I do not," Laura replied. "I told you I didn't. Weren't you listening? It makes no difference to me who he dates, although I feel unreasonably upset about it, and when I accidentally saw him naked this morning, it was...overpowering."

"Did you feel like you wanted to just jump his bones?" Roxie asked.

"Not exactly," Laura shook her head. "But I can't say I wasn't attracted to him."

"And now he's with another girl and that upsets you," Roxie added.

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "I don't get it."

"You're not active, are you?" Roxie asked. "I know Edward's not, even though the rest of his family is."

"Of course not!" Laura replied once she realized what sort of 'active' Roxie meant. "I saw what happened when Gregory turned and I'm not gonna repeat it myself."

"Well, what might be going on with you, and I can't say this for certain, is that Edward might be your mate, although I had no idea that would be able to be detected in 'wolves that weren't active," Roxie told her. "You get two wolves together, the pheromones mingle, and then _wham!_ You have a werewolf couple to make werewolf babies. It's based on animal attraction. Your body picks your mate before your mind does."

"So even though Edward is a goofy nerd she's attracted to him?" Addie asked. "Well, that sucks!"

"He happens to be a goofy nerd with nice abs and pecs!" Laura replied. "I accidentally saw him naked this morning."

Roxie grinned. "Nice to know there's substance in your relationship."

"Fat lot of good it will do," Laura sighed. "Cause like I already told you, he's got a girlfriend now. He won't pay any attention to me."

"Well, I suppose you could kill her," Roxie replied. "But if you want something that isn't messy, all you need to do is give him something with your scent on it. It'll make him forget all about her. Or at least want you more. It's much harder to get two inactive werewolves together than it would be if you were active."

"It _will_ work, though?" Laura asked.

Roxie nodded.

"Well," Laura replied. "I might want to give that a shot."

And she did that night after everyone had gone to sleep. She picked out a pajama top from her hamper, went into Edward's room, and put it close to his face and watching to see if there would be any reaction. For a little bit, she didn't think there would be, but then he inhaled, snatched up the pajama top and cuddled with it as if it were a security blanket. Seeing that, Laura grinned and went back to bed.

* * *

Gregory read the note over five or six more times, and he still couldn't believe what it said. How could she be gone? Was it his fault? He sat down on the bed and growled in frustration. He _had_ wondered if he'd been too nice to her last night, and if it would drive her away, and of course it had, but she'd been crying and had looked so miserable that he just couldn't put on the usual act for her.

He sighed, crumpled her note, and took it to the trash. Then he left his room and told one of the maids that he was going out. Who would be able to tell him where Katherine had gone? Then, it occurred to him. He drove up to his parents' house again and knocked on the door. Selina opened it. "Gregory?" She asked, her eyes shining as she hugged him. "So great to see you again! What brings you here?"

"Great to see you too, Mom," he replied, giving her a half-hearted smile. "Is Dad home? I have to ask him something."

"Are you sure you want to talk to him?" Selina asked.

"Yeah," Gregory nodded. "What's wrong with that? Would he not want to talk to me?"

Selina shook her head. "Never mind! Elijah! Gregory is here and he wants to talk to you!"

Elijah appeared a little while later and gave Gregory a stern look. "Yes?" He asked. "What is it that you want? I thought nothing would be enough to tear you away from Katerina and your life of debauchery."

"Well, that's just it," Gregory told hm. "Katherine is missing."

"Is she?" Elijah asked. "As of right now, she's gone from your life?"

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "I wondered if you knew where she's gone, or could help me find her."

"I know nothing about where she went," Elijah told him.

Gregory sighed. "All right, then," he said. "I guess that means I'll be on my way."

"No!" Selina cried. "Gregory, don't rush away so fast. Why don't you come in and stay? Your room is ready and everything."

"That's sweet, Mother," Gregory replied. "Thank you, but I'm not so sure Father wants me here."

"Actually," Elijah replied, "as long as Katerina is out of the picture and can no longer be a bad influence on you, I'd be willing to let you stay...if you wanted to, that is."

"Well, of course," Gregory replied. "I would like that. That is, unless my being here would displace that other boy."

"No," Elijah shook his head, gesturing for Gregory to come inside. "Edward doesn't sleep in your room anymore. Your mother made me move him somewhere else."

"I suppose I could stay for a little while," Gregory nodded. "Not forever, though. I have my own business and I can't just abandon it."

"What sort of business?" Selina asked.

"I run a shelter for wayward girls," Gregory told her. "Sadly, it's been very useful."

Selina nodded. "That _is_ a shame. But at least they have someone as kind as you to look out for them."

Gregory nodded. "I try my best." He went up to his room and when he passed Laura's door, she poked her head out. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Katherine is gone from my life and because of that, Father told me I could stay," Gregory told her.

"Well, that's good!" Laura proclaimed. "She was awful! Unless you really liked her, in which case, I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Gregory told her. "Hopefully you'll never have a relationship that is as messed up as mine is with Katherine."

"I might have that," Laura told him. "I _do_ like a guy, but tonight he's out on a date with another girl, so..."

"Why would he be out on a date with another girl when he could be out with you?" Gregory asked. "That's just crazy."

"Well, he doesn't know I like him, and I kind of don't want him to know because everyone we know thinks he's a dork."

"Why does it matter to you what other people think?" Gregory asked. "You like this guy and your not telling him because you were scared of other people's opinions made you miss out on an opportunity to be with him. Now it's too late and he's with someone else."

"But it might not be too late!" Laura replied. "I have an idea!" She snuck into Edward's room where he was working on getting ready for his date with Ruthie. "Need some help with your tie?" She asked.

"Sure," Edward nodded, grinning. "Why not?" Laura helped him tie his tie and then picked up the pajama top she'd put on the bed and gave it to him. "Don't forget to take this with you."

"Why would I do that?" Edward asked.

"I don't know," Laura shrugged. "For good luck?"

"Why would taking your clothes with me on a date with Ruthie give me good luck?" Edward asked.

"I can't explain it!" Laura cried. "Just do it, please!"

"No!" Edward shook his head. "I don't want Ruthie to think I'm crazy! Now will you let me go? I don't want to be late picking her up!" When he went down the stairs, Laura went after him. "Okay," she replied. "Don't take my PJ top. But you really should wear my scarf." She wrapped the red scarf around his neck. "You don't have one and I wouldn't want you to get chilled."

"Okay," Edward nodded, still looking at her strangely. "Thank you, I guess. Now I better be on my way."

"Goodbye!" Laura waved to him. Once he disappeared, Gregory came down the stairs and stood behind his sister. "I feel something is going on here," he said to her. "Did you do something bad?"

"Of course not!" Laura replied. "I was just helping him. Besides, Dad's already planning our wedding anyway, so even if I _did_ do something underhanded, I highly doubt Daddy would care."

Gregory sighed. Home sweet home hadn't changed a bit.

* * *

Henry looked at Felicity for a long time, then finally blinked. "Just a minute," he said and shut the door behind him. He ran to get Lenora. "There's somebody at the door," he said.

"Well, who is it?" Lenora asked. "Do we know them?"

"I don't," Henry replied. He got behind Lenora and pushed her toward the door. She opened it again while he kept a close watch over Susanna and Rusty.

"Felicity?" Lenora asked, hugging her sister. "What brings you here? Is something the matter?"

"Not really," Felicity replied. "I just needed a break from Adrian and Helene, so I thought I would come to see the one member of my biological family I can actually stand."

"Well, we're happy to have you here," Lenora told her. Then she saw Stefan. "And Stefan too."

"I just came as the body guard," Stefan replied, stepping inside of the house. "I realize you don't know your grandfather all that well, but he told me that if I lost track of Felicity, I was in for trouble."

"Your brother is here with Lucy," Lenora told him. "I'm sure he'll be glad to see you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna take my children to see my grandma."

"Selina?" Stefan guessed.

"No," Lenora shook her head. "The other one."

* * *

"So," Felicity asked. "How long are you gonna make me hide out here before I can get back to work?"

"You were hurting yourself," Stefan reminded her. "It's gonna be much longer than overnight, I can tell you that."

"I'm sorry you found me hurting myself and that it was traumatic for you," Felicity apologized. "I won't do it again. Can we leave tomorrow?"

"No," Stefan shook his head. "And you don't need to apologize to _me_. You shouldn't be worried about how you hurting yourself affected me. Yes, it was troubling, but aren't you worried about what made you do it? Don't you want to get away from that for awhile?"

Felicity sighed. "I guess. I wouldn't mind cheering up a little."

"Well, what can we do to cheer you up?" Stefan asked. "Tell me anything and we'll do it."

"Movie night," Felicity said almost immediately. "With pizza."

Stefan nodded. "Okay. I'll get some beer too, and everything will be on the way to getting better. In fact, I might even look around for my brother and see if he wants to come."

"No need, brother," Damon replied, coming in and hugging Stefan. "I'm already here. Lucy and I come here a lot. But your being here is an unexpected surprise."

"Yeah," Lucy added. "Is everything okay?"

"Not exactly," Felicity replied. "But we're working on it."

Lucy sighed. "Is it my brother? What's he done to you now?"

"It's _not _your brother, actually," Stefan replied. "It's Helene. Not that your brother isn't part of the problem too, but the particular issue that brought us out here is more Helene's doing than his."

"What is it?" Lucy asked, her voice full of concern.

"Did you know that when I was a baby, Helene practically killed me?" Felicity asked.

"I know she did something to you that was bad enough Astrid had the council take her powers away, but I never knew specifics," Lucy said. "What happened?"

"I cried too much," Felicity said quietly. "And it drove Helene so nuts she took my voice away. That would have killed me if Daddy and Alistair hadn't come and gotten me out. And it wouldn't have been so bad if I had known about that from the beginning, but in a decade or so of letters, Helene never once mentioned it. She made herself out to be someone who really loved me."

"And I think she does," Lucy replied, putting her arms around Felicity. "Not that that excuses what she did, and I believe it wouldn't hurt her to apologize to you, but she _did_ want you from the moment you were born and it terrified her when she woke up, found Adrian had taken you, and she had no idea where."

While this family moment was going on, Damon and Stefan watched one another and fidgeted awkwardly. Finally, when Lucy and Felicity pulled apart, Damon clapped his hands once. "Okay!" He cried. "Who's up for movies, pizza, and beer?"

"Me!" Felicity cried. "What we want for toppings?"

They told her and a few minutes later, she zapped up a pepperoni pizza and a pizza that had sausage, peppers, onions, and olives on it.

"Wow," Damon replied as he took a bite. "Much quicker than delivery, isn't it?"

But when Felicity zapped in the beer, Lucy said, "Wait a minute, Lissy. You're not gonna drink any of that, are you?"

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "Why not? It's not like I've never done it before."

Lucy's jaw dropped a little. "You've _drunk_ before?" She asked. "But you're too young!"

"Just let her do it, Cookie Monster," Damon told her and pulled Lucy onto his lap. "She's been through a bad time and she could probably stand to forget it. And why don't you have a beer yourself?"

Lucy sighed. "Fine," she said. "Even though I usually don't drink, I suppose since this is a party, I can let myself have one beer."

Damon looked at Stefan. "Want to send a couple over here?"

A few minutes later, when everyone was happily drinking and eating, James and Lenora came in. "Pizza and beer?" Lenora asked. "Where'd all this come from?"

"I zapped it in," Felicity replied through a mouth full of pizza. She took a sip of beer and swallowed. "Now we're trying to decide what movie to watch."

"How about_ Jaws_?" James suggested. "Is that a good movie?"

"It's about a killer shark," Damon said. "How could it _not_ be good?"

"How many people die in this movie?" Lucy asked. "I don't like movies where people die. All the gore..." she shuddered.

"Didn't you once kill enough people that Elijah's father swooped down on you and almost killed you?" Damon asked. "How could you have issues with gore?"

"I just don't like violent movies, okay?" Lucy said shortly.

"I'll tell you when someone is gonna die and you can bury your head in my shoulder or something," Damon assured her.

"Well, thank you," Lucy replied dryly. "What a nice offer."

They watched the movie, he kept his word, and Felicity realized that this break, and being around people who cared about her, was exactly what she needed. To be around people who loved her and appreciated her instead of being sad and trying to get the approval of people who didn't.


	16. Two Dates

""Thanks for coming here," Ruthie told Edward. "You're very sweet."

"No problem," Edward told her. "It's my pleasure. Are you ready to go?"

Just then, Ruthie's face fell. "Do we have to go?" She asked. "I was kind of hoping that maybe we could stay in and watch movies. That's not a problem, is it?"

"No," Edward shook his head. "That's fine. We can go out another time." He took off his coat and hung it up, but didn't remove the scarf.

"Why didn't you take off your scarf?" Ruthie asked.

"My neck gets cold," Edward replied quickly. They settled in to watch the first Star Wars. At one point, Ruthie put her arm around Edward's shoulder, but after a few seconds, he pushed it away. She was wearing perfume that smelled odd when mixed with Laura's much more pleasant scent.

"Are you okay?" Ruthie asked.

"Yeah," Edward nodded. "I'm fine." He stood up. "Want me to go and make us more popcorn?"

"Oh, well, sure," Ruthie replied, looking a little let down. "Go ahead. Would you like me to pause the movie?"

"No, thanks," Edward replied. "You keep watching it. I'll be back in a little bit." While Ruthie continued to watch the movie, Edward darted into the kitchen, took off Laura's scarf, and inhaled deeply. Then, he smiled and laughed. Ruthie came in a few seconds later and he quickly hid the scarf behind his back. "Where's the popcorn?" She asked. "I thought you were gonna make some more."

"Oh, yes," Edward nodded and put Laura's scarf back on. "Of course I will. You just go back and sit on the sofa now and let me handle this."

"All right," Ruthie nodded. "If that's what you want." She went back to the living room, and a few minutes later, Edward emerged with the popcorn. They ate it and watched the rest of the movie, not saying one more word. After it ended, he stood up. "This was fun, but I think we've done enough for the first date, don't you?"

"Are you sure?" Ruthie asked. "Cause I'm sure it's not a problem for you to stay longer. My parents really like you."

"That seems to be the general consensus with me and parents," Edward replied. "I'm the one all the fathers want their daughters dating."

"So will you stay?" Ruthie asked hopefully.

Edward sighed. "I'd really like to, but I can't," he said. "I have schoolwork to do, but I promise we'll do this again sometime."

"Really?" Ruthie asked. "Do you swear? Because I'd like that."

"Yes," Edward nodded. "I swear. But we won't be able to have another date if I don't end this one and go, right? So I'm gonna go. Goodbye." And as Ruthie gave him a half-hearted goodbye, he ran out of the house, got in his car, and sped back to Laura.

* * *

"So..." Laura asked Edward as he walked in the door and threw the scarf down on the floor. "How was your date?"

"It wasn't bad," Edward replied. "Ruthie and I had a nice time. How was your evening?"

"You just had a nice time?" Laura asked. "It doesn't sound like you're talking about a date at all. You sound like you just went to see a friend."

Edward shrugged. "That might have been what it was. I don't know."

"Well, are you gonna go out again?" Laura pressed.

"We might," Edward replied. "I don't know. And thanks for letting me use your scarf, by the way. I found it helpful."

"Good," Laura nodded. "Are you just gonna go to bed now?"

Edward nodded. "I might." He started making his way toward his room and Laura followed. When they reached the door, he turned around. "What are you doing?"

"You said I could come and sleep with you any time I wanted," Laura replied. "Don't go back on that now."

Edward looked at her in surprise. "You know that when I said that, I meant that we would still both be fully clothed, right?"

"Doesn't matter," Laura replied. "I can watch you undress. That's enough for now."

"Oh, no," Edward shook his head and grinned. "You already got your free sample of me. You won't be seeing more until we get married."

"Really?" Laura asked, feeling sad.

"Really," Edward nodded. "So do you still want to come in, or not?"

"No," Laura shook her head. "What's the point?"

"All right," Edward replied. "That's your choice." He went into his room and closed the door. Laura stood outside, hopping from one foot to the other and biting her lip, deciding whether she wanted to go in or go back to her own room.

Finally, Edward called, "Laura, if you're still out there deciding about whether or not to come in, you might as well do it."

"Why?" Laura asked, taking little mincing steps to the door. "Are you naked now?"

"No," Edward said. "I've already changed. That's what happens when you drag your feet. Now, are you going to come in here and spend the night with me or not?"

"No," Laura called primly. "I'm not. And since you're dating someone, you shouldn't be asking me that question anyway!" And with that, she ran off to her room before Edward could open the door and reply.

* * *

"You know," Selina said to Elijah, "you seem awfully easy about Gregory being here. Why is that?"

"He told me Katerina is gone from his life, so I'm giving him a second chance," Elijah replied, reaching for her. "Now come and kiss me."

"Oh, no!" Selina got out of his grasp. "Elijah, how could you do that to Gregory? You can't just ban him from our house because he has a relationship you don't approve of!"

"Why not?" Elijah asked.

"Because that makes you no better than your father," Selina replied. "Remember, the man who staked you and locked you in a box for six years cause he hates that you got married to me? You know what a pain in the ass it is to deal with it, so why the fuck would you put Gregory through the same thing? I didn't think you had it in you to be such a hypocrite, the sort of man who does horrible things when he doesn't get his way, the sort of man who can't just let his children be how they want to be. I understand your reasoning about wanting to put Laura with Edward, and I admit that when Gregory first said he liked Katherine, I wasn't happy about it either. But what's done is done and now we should just smile and let him live his life. He's a grown man and that is his right. Be a better man than your father, Elijah. Please."

Elijah scoffed. "How _dare_ you talk to me about hypocrisy!" He thundered. "I heard you telling Laura about you and I and how we are in this room. That is none of her business, and you shouldn't have told her anything. Are you trying to groom her to be a harlot like you used to be? Maybe you can find a brother of Gregory's that Laura can date and have sex with behind his back."

Selina made a move to slap him, but he caught her wrist.

"Excuse me?" She asked as he smirked. "I was doing no such thing. I was trying to help!"

"Help?" Elijah blustered. "How would you say you were helping?"

"Well," Selina answered, "at the moment, the analogy doesn't make sense cause you're yelling at me and being a jerk, but what I was _trying _to demonstrate to her when I told her stuff about us was that a relationship with Edward won't be so bad. That despite his nerdiness, he's a good guy just like you are, and that she should appreciate that, rather than going after the guys who are all flash and no substance because it won't make her happy in the end. It will just make her miserable. And that if she gave Edward a chance, she just _might_ be surprised by his awesome bedroom prowess."

"She's sixteen years _old_!" Elijah replied. "Much too young to be thinking about things like that."

"I'd say she's not too young at all," Selina replied. "That's the sort of thing kids her age think about, whether we'd like them to or not, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"Don't you be too sure," Elijah told her. "I could stop it if I wanted to."

Selina grinned. "Well, I'm sure you wouldn't want to stop her from thinking sexy thoughts about Edward, seeing as how you want them to be married and make a bunch of super-intelligent, super-adorable babies. Isn't that your plan?"

"The only reason why I want Laura with Edward is so she is with a man who is intelligent, respectful, and will treat her well," Elijah replied. "That's all."

"And I agree she should have all that with Edward too," Selina replied. "But that was not what we were talking about before. We were talking about Gregory and Katherine and your problem with them being together."

Elijah began to rub his temples. "I don't see how there's anything else to talk about there," he said. "We've discussed it to death, it made us fight, and now I just want to go to sleep."

"Tomorrow, will you tell Gregory that who he is in a relationship with will not affect how much you love him?" Selina asked. "And that he's not banned from this house forever just because he wants to be with Katherine?"

"Why should I?" Elijah asked.

"Because," Selina replied, running her fingers through his hair. "If you don't, I will."

Elijah sat up. "I'm too tired to argue with you about this," he said. "I'm going to sleep and I don't want to hear another word out of you. Goodnight."

Selina sighed, rolled her eyes, and turned off the light. She'd talk with him some more in the morning.

* * *

"You need help," Addie told Laura as the two of them walked into school the next day.

"Why do I need help?" Laura asked. "I'm fine."

"How can you be fine?" Addie asked. "You have the hots for Edward Emerson!"

"I never said that," Laura told her. "Just because your mother comes up with some cockamamie theory about me being 'mated' to him or whatever because of my werewolf gene, that doesn't prove anything. I can date anyone I want, and he doesn't matter."

"Exactly!" Addie nodded. "That's the spirit!"

"So how exactly do you plan to help me?" Laura asked. "Are you gonna set me up with a guy from the bar? Because I don't think my father would go for that."

"Do you think he would if he knew that I was coming with you for a double date?" Addie asked. "I know he doesn't know me very well, but if you have two sets of people there, it's kind of like chaperoning and that's what he insists on on dates, right?"

Laura scoffed. "He even insists on there being chaperoning when Mom is talking with Uncle Klaus. Not that that happens very often, but I know that it does."

"So, do you want me to get a guy for you so the two of us can double?" Addie asked.

"Sure," Laura shrugged. "Why not? It could be fun. Even if you _will_ have to come to the house beforehand so my dad can meet whomever you set me up with. i think there'll be no way around that."

* * *

"You're _what_?" Edward and Elijah asked at the same time with identical looks of shock on their faces.

"Addie and I are going out on a double date," Laura repeated. "Is that a problem?"

"Who is the boy you're going with?" Elijah asked.

"Yes," Edward added. "Do we know him? Does he go to school with us?"

"Will you two relax?" Laura told them. "It's kind of a blind date situation, but I told Addie that she needed to bring them both by so you could meet them, okay? Is that a good enough compromise?"

"No!" Elijah shook his head. "I will not let you go gallivanting around with a strange boy! If Addie set you up with him, he's probably some lowlife from the bar."

"Dad, now that's not fair!" Laura replied. "Enid's is not _just_ full of lowlifes. I believe you've been there a few times."

"Only because your uncle dragged me there," Elijah said. "I didn't choose to go there by myself."

"Whatever," Laura replied. "The point is that you've been there. And it's not like I'm going alone. Going on a double date is _kind_ of like being chaperoned."

"No, it's not!" Edward replied. "There won't be an ounce of responsibility between the four of you at all. I don't like this, Laura. I don't like it one bit!"

"Do you hear me complain whenever you go out with that Ruthie girl?" Laura asked. "Lay off, would you?"

"When is this catastrophe supposedly happening?" Elijah asked.

"You got a few days," Laura told him. "The four of us are going bowling on Friday night."

"Bowling?" Edward asked. He and Elijah looked at one another and burst out laughing. "How quaint."

Laura looked back and forth between them, her lip trembling, and just stomped away to find her mother.

"What's with the face?" Selina asked when she saw her. "What's wrong?"

"Addie and I want to double date on Friday," Laura told her. "I told Dad as a courtesy and even made Addie promise to bring both guys over so that Dad could meet them, but when I said that we were going bowling, Dad, and Edward who was with him, just started laughing."

"Your dad was laughing about you going bowling?" Selina asked. "I don't see what's so wrong with bowling. I think it sounds like fun. And don't pay too much attention to your dad. His ideas about what's fun and what isn't are really more boring than most people's, so just ignore him and do what you want as long as it doesn't get you into any sort of trouble."

Laura sighed. "All right. But sometimes, I just look at Edward's stupid, smarmy face and I just want to punch it so _much_."

"I know," Selina nodded. "I do. But sometimes, you just gotta take a deep breath, count to ten, and keep hold on your temper, cause really, what good will lashing out do in the long run?"

"Nothing," Laura replied.

"Exactly," Selina nodded. "It will accomplish nothing but make things really awkward around here and we want to avoid that if we can."

* * *

"So," Selina asked, coming up behind Elijah and Edward, who were watching out the window for Laura's date. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Nothing," they both said at the same time and turned away from the window.

"Actually," Elijah cleared his throat. "We were looking for Laura's date. It's almost time for them all to be here, you know."

"Yeah," Selina grinned. "I know. And I'm so pleased that you agreed to let her go. It shows a lot of trust in her."

"Well, I figured that I didn't let her go, you'd find some way to send her off behind my back and make me look like the ogre," Elijah replied. "So I decided to let her go. But I told her she had to be back by ten, regardless of what the other people wanted to do."

Selina nodded. "Firm but fair. And I would _never_ call you an ogre."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you would."

"Okay, I would," Selina admitted. "But not to your face!"

Elijah rolled his eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do, Selina?"

"I could ask you two the same question," Selina replied.

"We have a good reason to be here," Edward informed her. "We're just here to ascertain that Laura is going out with good people. That is very important."

Selina rolled her eyes. "I can't watch any more of this. I'm gonna go read a book in our room." She left and Elijah faced Edward. "So what's the plan?" He asked. "You told me that you had a surefire way to get Laura back by ten."

"Yes," Edward nodded. "I've been steeling myself to go into Enid's and talk with Roxanne ever since I realized that Laura and I have what in the werewolf world is referred to as 'mating' going on. It just means that the two of us are very much attracted to each other biologically, to the point where we can't be attracted to anyone else as much."

"I know all about this," Elijah replied. "Continue."

"Well, when I was on a date with a friend of mine, Ruthie, awhile back, Laura gave me her scarf and I spend the whole night sniffing it in the most ridiculous way because it had Laura's scent on it, much to the consternation of my friend. Now, I figure that if I give Laura a sweater of mine that has my scent on it, she'll be so overwhelmed by the thought of me that all she'll want to do is end her date and come back to be with me. What do you think?"

"That sounds doable, I guess," Elijah replied. "As long as it gets her back here as soon as possible. As for your werewolf gene, you're not planning on activating it, are you? I know this was a sticking point with the rest of your family, but I just want to be sure."

"Oh, I don't plan on activating my gene at all, sir," Edward told him. "That has no appeal for me whatsoever."

"Good," Elijah nodded. "Make sure you keep thinking that way."

"Yes, sir," Edward nodded.

Then, the car containing Addie and two boys pulled up into the driveway.

"They're here!" Laura cried, running down the stairs and elbowing Edward out of the way. "I'll let them in, shall I?" She opened the door and Addie came in a few minutes later, followed by two boys. The conversation between them and Elijah was awkward and brief, and they seemed very eager to leave the house and go to their car.

"Just a minute," Edward said when Laura was about to leave. "It's cold out there. Don't you think you should cover yourself up?"

Laura looked down at her light blue-and-white polka dot dress with a v-neck. "I'll be fine," she told him. "I'm sure one of the boys would be willing to give me his jacket."

"Here's a sweater of mine," Edward replied, producing it. "Take it. I insist. I'll even put it on for you."

"No," Laura shook her head. "That's really not necessary."

"Laura, now be polite," Elijah told her. "If Edward is kind enough to offer you his sweater, you should take it and thank him."

"Fine," Laura said between her teeth as Edward put his sweater on her. "Thank you, Edward. Very much."

"You're welcome," Edward grinned at her. "You have a nice night now."

"I will," Laura replied sharply. "Cause I'm not gonna be _here_. Goodbye, you two."

"Goodnight," Edward and Elijah called together as Laura slammed the door behind her and they watched her run out to meet Addie and the boys at their car. Laura's date opened the door for her, waited as she got in, and then the car sped away into the night.


	17. Saving Those We Love

After the date ended, Laura sneaked back into the house and shut the door behind her as quietly as she could, but was met with the lights in the living room flicking on anyway. She turned and groaned when she saw Edward sitting expectantly on the sofa.

"What are you sitting there for?" she asked. "You should be in bed!"

"I tried," he told her, coming to take his sweater from her shoulders. "But I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?" Laura asked. "Do you have insomnia or something?"

"No," Edward shook his head. "But every time I closed my eyes, I saw you in the arms of that...that _barbarian _that you were out with and I just..." He trailed off, reached over, and kissed her soundly before letting her go. His eyes were wide and he was sweating. "I shouldn't have done that," he muttered, turning to stride away. "I should _not_ have done that!"

"Wait!" Laura called. "You can't just kiss me like that and then leave!" She ran up the stairs and followed him to just outside his door. "What was that about?" She asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "Sorry. I lost control. It won't happen again." He then slammed the door shut, leaving a confused Laura alone in the hallway.

"What a weirdo," she sighed and went to get undressed for bed. Then, she crawled under the sheets, pulled them over her naked body, and shut her eyes, figuring that she would get a sound night's sleep. But that's not what she got. She dreamed instead.

First, the door to her bedroom opened, and Edward came in. "I came to apologize for my behavior before," he told her quietly.

"What behavior?" She asked. "You mean the kissing?"

"Yes," he nodded. "It's just that you're such a beautiful girl, and the thought of you being handled by those...neanderthals that came to the house tonight was just too much for me to bear, so when you came home and I saw you were safe, I couldn't help myself. I had to hold you and touch you and kiss you just to make sure you were okay."

She blushed. "I'm fine," she said. "But if you want to kiss me again, or do anything else for that matter, I really don't mind. You're a very good kisser."

He paused and then looked over her body, then pulled her to him, his lips meeting hers and his hands running over her body and cupping her bottom. Then, he pulled out of the kiss and kissed down her neck before lying her down on the mattress and climbling into bed with her. Then she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him again. Then he leisurely sucked on one breast then the other before rubbing her gently and slipping inside her, causing her to cry out his name. Just afterward, she heard his voice echoing from the very walls. She was then roughly jolted from the dream and found Edward eying her keenly. She was in his arms and their lips were touching.

"Are you all right?" He asked her, leaning his head back.

"Yeah," she nodded, pulling away from him. "I'm fine. What's it to you?"

"Well, you were making an awful lot of noise and I wanted to come in here and make sure you were okay," Edward told her, although despite his best efforts, his eyes kept straying from her face.

Laura sighed. "All right," she said and hopped off the bed. "I suppose I deserve this." She faced him, her arms outstretched without a hint of embarrassment. "There," she said. "I'm completely naked and you can see everything. Happy?"

"Will you get in your bed and cover yourself up?" Edward asked as he nervously eyed the door. "Do you know what your father would think if he came in here and found me in your room while you're positioned like that?!"

"Oh, please," Laura scoffed. "Don't pretend like you're not enjoying yourself even the teensiest little bit."

"Well, of course I am, in a way," Edward choked out. "You're very beautiful, but-but I just can't right now."

"Cause you're scared of my father," Laura nodded and covered herself up with blankets again. "Of course."

"I'm not scared of him," Edward corrected. "I respect him and I respect you too much to do anything that would damage your reputation."

"I don't _care_ about my reputation," Laura told him. "I care about doing things that make me feel like me. Dad cares more about reputations than I do. If it were up to him, I wouldn't color my hair, I'd wear dresses with high necks, and he'd make me take out this." She stuck out her tongue and Edward saw a small stud. "How long have you had that?!" He asked. "I thought I felt something when I kissed you. How on earth did you manage to get it without your father noticing?"

"It wasn't easy," Laura replied. "Believe me. I was lucky."

"Well," Edward told her after a moment of silence, "we both should get back to bed. Try not to think about me too much so you can get a good night's sleep."

"Ha ha," Laura replied dryly. "Goodnight, Edward."

Edward smiled. "Goodnight, Laura."

* * *

"Father," Gregory said to Elijah. "I know my relationship with Katherine has never sat well with you, but I meant what I said when I came here. She's left and I need help to find her. I thought she would have gotten over whatever it is that made her bolt, but I've heard nothing from her."

Elijah sighed. "Now, I'm not telling you this because I'm jealous or I want you to be miserable, but Katerina Petrova, she is risky to be involved with. You give her your heart, and then, as you're discovering now, she runs off with it and it takes you years before you can even come close to getting it back."

"Maybe she's changed since you knew her," Gregory replied. "Maybe now that Uncle Klaus has no use for her and she doesn't have to run anymore, she'll be more willing to settle down. I just have to find her first."

"Well," Elijah sighed. "If you're still determined to find her despite the risks involved, I'll support you. Lord knows I've been involved with some risky women in my time." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're talking about Katherine, aren't you?" Gregory asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Her and-" He paused to clear his throat. "Your mother."

"_Mother_?" Gregory asked, his eyebrow knitting. "_Really_?"

"Really," Elijah nodded. "But she came around in the end. I hope for your sake that Katerina is more like your mother is now than she used to be. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Just then, Gregory's phone rang. He peered down at it and frowned. He didn't recognize the number. He pressed the call button and cleared his throat. "Hello?"

"Gregory?" Asked a slurred voice on the other line. "I need help."

"Who is this?" Gregory replied.

"It's Katherine, silly!" She said.

His eyes widened. "Katherine! Where are you? What do you need? Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Katherine laughed. "Except I'm in jail just a little bit. Will you come and get me out?"

"Okay, where's the jail?" Gregory asked.

"I don't know," Katherine replied.

"Never mind," Gregory rolled his eyes. "I'll find you." He clicked off the phone and looked at Elijah.

"Was that her?" Elijah asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "And she sounded really drunk." He sighed. "I probably should go look for her, even though I have next to no idea where she is."

Elijah nodded. "Best not have her near people when she's hungover."

Gregory left the house and drove around awhile, and police stations later, he found the right one.

"Here she is," the officer told Gregory as he was led to the cell where Katherine was being held. "Please take her. She was unbearable from the moment we brought her in here, and the only reason things are calm now is because she's asleep."

"Did she hurt anyone?" Gregory asked.

"Not too badly," The officer replied. "But it wasn't for a lack of trying."

"What did you bring her in for?" Gregory asked, hoping that there would be no murder charge involved.

"Intoxication and public indecency," the officer replied. He handed Gregory a slip of paper. "Here's her court date."

"All right," Gregory nodded. "I'll make sure she shows up on time." He went to pay her bail money and then he and the officer went into the cell to get Katherine. Gregory noticed that the officer was about to wake her, and he shook his head.

"Trust me," he replied. "It's best just to let her sleep. I'll take her out as she is." He picked her up and carried her, still sleeping, out of the police station and set her in the back of his car without even bothering to buckle her in. He then started the car and took the most pot-hole and bump-filled route back to his house, and then put the brake on fast when he pulled into the driveway, which led to him hearing a cry and a thump from the backseat. He smiled as he got out and slammed the car door behind him.

"Hey!" Katherine called. "A little help here? I'm stuck!"

Chuckling, Gregory strode back to the car and opened the backseat door, bursting into laughter when he found that Katherine was now uncomfortably wedged in the space between the front and back seats.

"Can you roll onto your back?" He asked. With some effort, she was able to turn over, then he grabbed her hands and pulled her out. She landed hard on the pavement of the driveway.

"Ow!" She cried. "You don't suppose you could have been more gentle? I'm not feeling so good right now."

"That's not my fault," Gregory told her. "Get up."

Katherine grinned and shook her head. "Make me."

"Fine," Gregory growled. "I see you're intent on acting like a child and doing this the hard way." He picked her up, put her over his shoulder, and took her into the house, ignoring the astonished look of the maid Louise when he entered. "She's had a long night," he explained. "I'm going to put her to bed and make sure she gets the rest she needs."

Louise nodded wordlessly and Gregory carried Katherine off to their room, tossing her onto the bed. He then pulled her up into a sitting position and tried to get her to focus. "Katherine, look at me!" He ordered. He grabbed her chin and held it so that they were looking eye to eye. "Now tell me," he told her. "When you were out and about, did you kill anyone? It's very important that I know. where did all the blood on your clothes come from?"

Katherine slapped his wrist. "Let me go!" She cried. "I'm too tired to talk about this right now!"

"Fine," Gregory replied, pushing her backwards onto the bed. "Go to sleep, but I'm just gonna ask you again in the morning."

"I don't care what you want me to do tomorrow morning, as long as you show up bearing coffee and a Bloody Mary. Or a Bloody Susan. Or even a Bloody Stephanie!" She giggled wildly at her own humor with a grating sound like broken glass. Gregory let this go on for a bit and then he locked eyes with her. "Sleep," he commanded, and she instantly fell back onto the pillow, her eyes closed and her breathing steady. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. Then he called Elijah.

"I found her and brought her home," he said. "I'll stay here for the night in case she does anything crazy and be back in the morning."

"All right," Elijah replied. "Good night, son."

He hung up the phone and went to bed, sleeping soundly until he was abruptly awoken the next morning by a panicked Louise.

"There's a man here!" She replied. "And he's asking for you."

Thinking it was another one of the girls' loser boyfriends come to be a bother, Gregory dressed quickly and prepared to beat the guy to a pulp. But when he got to the room where the man Louise had mentioned was settled, he saw that it was no boyfriend. It was someone else entirely.

"Grandfather?" Gregory choked out, his heart thudding wildly at the sight of Mikael. "What brings you here?"

Mikael stood up and strode toward Gregory. "Can't I just come and say 'Hello'?" He asked. "Why do you think there's a specific reason why I'm here?"

"Cause I know you," Gregory replied. "You're all about your job. You only show up anywhere when you think you have a kill. Be honest with me. That's why you came, isn't it?"

"Well for starters, I _know_ I have a kill," Mikael told him. "I saw you bring her in last night. Where is she? I don't want to drag this out longer than I have to."

"How many people did she kill?" Gregory asked. "A lot?"

"Enough," Mikael nodded. "And fortunately for me, she wasn't even careful about it. So why don't you tell me where she is and we'll get this over with?"

"No," Gregory shook his head. "Grandfather, you can't!"

"Why not?" Mikael asked. Then his expression soured. "Let me guess," he continued. "You're in love with this girl, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Gregory replied. "Please don't kill her."

Mikael burst out laughing. "Oh, Gregory," he said. "Do you think that I'm just going walk away because you said 'Please'?"

"If you have even an ounce of affection for me in you, you will," Gregory replied. "Please. Do this as a favor to me and leave Katerina alone!"

"How does this happen?" Mikael asked, looking genuinely dumbfounded now. "You and your father grew up to be such sensible men, and then you met one troubled woman who convinces you to believe you're in love with her, and suddenly, all sense has left you."

"I promise that she won't kill again," Gregory told him. "I'll keep an extra close eye on her. She'll be so well-behaved that it will become clear to you that this was just one-time behavior and that there are other, much deadlier vampires who are more worth your time than Katerina Petrova."

"And how to you plan to do that?" Mikael asked.

"Well," Gregory replied, feeling uncomfortable. "She's not really the marrying type, but I suppose I could talk her into it, given the circumstances."

"I would think so," Mikael told him. "You wouldn't want to risk her having a repeat of the last couple of weeks, because if she did it again and I caught up to her, I might not be feeling generous enough to come warn you first."

"Fine," Gregory replied. "I'll marry her and she'll never be a danger to vampire kind again."

"Let's hope so," Mikael replied. "For your sake, and especially hers."

* * *

Stefan woke up early one morning, and after making sure Felicity was still asleep, he went in search of Lenora. When he finally found her, she was sitting in a space near one of the castle's balconies and drinking tea.

"I need to talk to you," Stefan told her. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure," Lenora nodded. "What is it?"

"I need you to zap me back to New Orleans," he said. "I have some business there I want to do."

"Why ask me?" Lenora asked. "Why don't you just ask Felicity?"

Stefan sighed. "I know this won't sound good, but she can't know that I'm going," he said. "What I'm gonna do when I get back, she'd probably see it as interference and try to stop me if she knew."

"Just what are you thinking of doing?" Lenora asked.

Stefan sighed. "You know that the witches in New Orleans are planning on overthrowing your parents, right?"

"Yeah," Lenora nodded. "I do know that, and I support it completely."

"Well, Felicity told me that there's a vampire she's answering to when it comes to helping the witches, a brother of Klaus'. I want to go find him so I can get Felicity out of whatever deal he's forced her into," Stefan said. "I think it's all too much for her to deal with."

"You should ask her before you go doing something like that, Stefan," Lenora told him. "How do you know it's too much for her?"

"This brother of Klaus' wants her to bond with Adrian so that she can learn his secrets and pass them on to the witches in order to bring him down," Stefan replied. "And given her present feelings about Adrian, and the fact that Adrian will probably react badly when he finds out the truth about her motivations, I think it would be best just to get her out of the whole thing."

Lenora nodded. "I guess," she said. But she didn't quite look convinced.

"You mean you want her to keep going with this ridiculous scheme of hers?" Stefan asked. "She's your sister and she could get hurt!"

"Stefan, I realize that you're not a magical being so you cannot possibly understand what it means to be magical and be enslaved, but I tell you what, it sucks! So what Felicity is doing is something that really does need to be done." Lenora told him. "Just let her do what she feels is right and don't interfere."

"What about you?" Stefan spat. "You think the cause is so important, yet you sit here in your other dimension, far away from the front lines, all the while allowing your sister to become cannon fodder. The least you could do is fight _with _her. Maybe the witches will be more willing to let Felicity go if they knew someone just as connected to Adrian who has the same amount of reason to hate him is going to take her place. Felicity will still be fighting for your cause, just in a position that isn't potentially deadly. Come on, Lenora. Do some walking while you're talking."

"Fine," Lenora sighed. "I'll go to New Orleans with you and see what I can do to let Felicity out of whatever she's gotten herself into."

* * *

"Okay," Stefan told her when they arrived. "Be prepared for a less than friendly welcome from any witches we come across. Apparently, your dad has not been making lots of friends around here."

"Oh, shut up and tell me where the shop that Felicity goes to to get her orders is located," Lenora snapped at him.

It took some time, but eventually they found it. Auburn-haired, dark-eyed Laurette was at the counter. "Hello," she said to them. "How can I help you?"

"I need to talk to a man here about my sister Felicity," Lenora told her. "Is he here? Can I do that?"

"How do you know Felicity has any connection with us?" Laurette asked, looking alarmed. "She wasn't supposed to tell anyone. Does Adrian know? Because that will ruin everything!"

"No, Adrian doesn't know," Lenora told her in an effort to calm her down. "And the only reason that I know is I'm Felicity's sister, Lenora."

Laurette's eyes widened. "You're the one who went to live with Mr. Black!"

Lenora grinned. "I call him James," she told the girl. "And yes, I did. What I want to talk to your leader about is the idea of switching jobs with Felicity. If he lets her out of whatever she's agreed to do for him, I'll take her place."

"What a nice offer," Kol replied. "But see, we're using Felicity for one special reason. She's related to Adrian and sees him often, so she can get behind enemy lines. We would be stupid to let her go, especially for a nobody such as yourself." He smirked.

"Hey," Stefan told him. "This is Felicity's sister, Lenora. She's _not _a nobody."

"Felicity's sister," Kol said, looking intrigued. "How interesting."

"Yes," Lenora nodded. "And honestly, I'm much more useful than she is anyway. Felicity has had no contact with our father at all, whereas I knew him for quite a few years before he left my mother and me. If I buddied up to him, it wouldn't be very suspicious, but don't you think that Adrian will be smart enough to realize something is up when a girl who wanted nothing to do with him before suddenly starts cuddling up to him and wants to bond? How could you not have thought of that?"

"I've watched your father," Kol told her. "I've seen him feel remorse for what he did to your sister especially. I don't see there being a lot of trouble if she wants to bond with him. In fact, he'll probably be grateful and things will end up just the way I want them to."

"What about when he finds out that she was stringing him along?!" Stefan asked angrily, nearly jumping over the counter to try and pin Kol down. "He might get so hurt and angry that he'll kill her!"

Kol shrugged. "What does that matter to me as long as I get the information that I need from her ahead of time?"

Lenora gave him a hard slap across the face that wiped the smirk he was wearing right off it. "Felicity is my _sister,_ all right? She's not cannon fodder for the cause. Now, I'm all for everything you're doing to free the witches, but you're not just gonna use my sister to do it. You know why? Cause whether you realize it or not, she is your family. Adrian is your nephew, and Felicity and I are your nieces. I _know_ the Mikaelson views on family and killing Felicity would go against every one of them."

"Fine," Kol told her. "You take Felicity's place. But I better not hear that you're planning to betray us, Lenora. Because if you do, I won't hesitate to kill you, family or not. This is much too important to be ruined by someone with a soft heart."

"Fine," Lenora told him. "Whatever."

"All right," Kol told her. "You know that your sister's job was to get information on your father. Get to it, and don't come back here until you've got something useful to tell me."


	18. Marriage Or Death

"Guess what?" Gregory told Katherine when he appeared at her bedside the next morning with coffee.

"What?" Katherine grumbled, her vision bleary.

"You and I are gonna get married!" Gregory said.

"No, thank you," Katherine replied and rolled over so her face was in the pillow.

"It's not optional," Gregory replied, turning her to face him. "We have to get married."

"You're really a romantic, aren't you?" Katherine asked, sitting up. "Why do we have to get married?"

"Because if we don't, then my grandfather will kill you," Gregory replied. "If we get married, you'll be under my protection and safe."

Katherine burst out laughing and took the coffee. "You're making this seem like it's some big emergency," she said. "It can't be that bad."

"You killed a lot of people while you were out and about, didn't you?" Gregory asked her.

"Yeah," Katherine nodded. "But so what? I'm a vampire. It's what we're supposed to do. You'd do well to learn that."

"My grandfather hunts vampires who kill so much that they risk exposing us as a species," Gregory told her. "And you were his next target."

"I was?" Katherine asked. "Kudos to me. That makes me as ruthless as your mother. So do I have to run or what?"

"You could if you wanted, but I was kind of hoping that you'd be willing to stay," Gregory told her. "Grandfather told me that if we married, you'd be free and clear and wouldn't have to run. Would you at least marry me for that reason if no other?"

Katherine spit out her coffee. "Are you seriously asking me to marry you?"

Gregory nodded. "Only to make sure you're safe, of course. There are no other strings attached.

Katherine grinned. "Your parents won't be too happy when they hear this," she said. "I can just imagine the look on your mother's face."

"So is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?" Gregory asked.

"You really think I'd be in danger from him if we don't do this?" Katherine asked.

"Katherine, you already _are_ in danger from him!" Gregory replied. "He was watching the house last night and he could have just killed you right then and there. You're lucky he cares about me so much, in his own way, that he let me have a chance to protect you."

Katherine groaned. "Fine," she said. "Let's get married. But I won't cook or clean. You'll have to do that on your own."

"I think it would do you some good to learn how to cook," Gregory replied. "And don't say you're too good to learn. Mom was a rich girl in the Civil War era south and even _she_ likes cooking. You might like it too."

Katherine glared. "I _know_ what your mother used to be like. I saw the whole thing."

"Fine," Gregory replied shortly. "Whatever. Are we going to do this or not?"

"You're really a romantic, you know that?" Katherine told him sarcastically.

"Don't you do that," Gregory told her. "I know that if I _tried_ to do anything romantic you'd laugh in my face."

"Yeah," Katherine admitted in a moment. "Yeah, I probably would. So, now do we have to tell your parents what we're doing?"

"Yes," Gregory sighed. "We probably should."

Katherine got out of bed, dressed, and followed Gregory out to his car. They drove to Selina and Elijah's in silence, and then they got out of the car and Katherine followed Gregory inside.

"They're home," Gregory told her. "I saw their cars. Mother! Father! Are you home? Katherine and I have something very important that we'd like to discuss with you."

They heard nothing and then Katherine grinned. "I hope they're not having sex. Although I would love to see your face if they were, though."

"Oh, please," Gregory scoffed. "Mom's probably at work and Dad is out."

But a few minutes later, Selina came in from the backyard. "Hello, Gregory," she greeted him. "Katherine. Did you guys just come in, or have you been here awhile?"

"We just got in," Gregory said before Katherine could speak. "And we have something that we need to tell you and Father. Is he here?"

Selina nodded. "Probably in his office. I'll go get him."

She came back with Elijah and they, Katherine, and Gregory took seats at the kitchen table. "Now," Selina cleared her throat. "What is it that you want to tell us?"

"Katherine and I have to get married," Gregory got out. She killed too much after she ran away, got Grandfather's attention, and he told me that if I don't marry her or find some other way to keep her under control, he's going to kill her."

"He's just being over-dramatic, right?" Katherine asked, looking at Selina. "I figured if anyone would be able to answer that question, it would be you, Lonely Heart."

Selina pursed her lips and nodded. "No, I'm afraid he's not being over-dramatic," she said. "Mikael's been wanting to kill me for over a century now. Being his daughter in law has not changed his feelings, but at least I know he won't try and stake me in my bed."

"So you think that us getting married is the right thing?" Gregory asked Elijah.

Elijah sighed. "Well, if it's what you want and you're aware of any consequences that might come out of this decision, then what you do is up to you. You're a grown man who is capable of making his own decisions, and I won't stand in your way."

"And by the way, Mom," Katherine added, looking at Selina. "We're gonna need witnesses. Do you mind?"

"No," Selina sighed, looking at Elijah. "Of course not. Let's get this over with."

* * *

When Laura and Edward walked out of class together, they found a group of football players waiting for them. "Well, look at the two of you," one of them said. "Are you two a couple or something?"

Edward went scarlet, but Laura strode right up to the biggest guy as the group chuckled and said, "So what if we are? What business is it of yours?"

"You're one of the pretty ones, Mikaelson," he replied and grabbed her. "I'd hate to see you waste your time with a nerd like that."

"Let her go," Edward said quietly.

"What if I don't?" the bigger boy asked. "What are you gonna do about it? Especially from inside a locker." He pushed Edward to the ground.

Laura punched him in the gut and he let her go. "Now why don't you leave?" She told them. "You don't want to be late for remedial English."

The boys scowled, but walked away and Laura helped Edward up. "Are you all right?" She asked. "Why didn't you fight back? And don't tell me you're not in good shape because I know you are."

"I just don't believe in violence," Edward shrugged.

"Well, you better believe in some sometimes, or else you could get really hurt!" Laura told him, her expression worried. "I don't_ want _you to get hurt!"

"First you say you don't mind us being considered a couple, and then you say you don't want me to be hurt," Edward grinned. "I think someone likes me a little."

"Yeah, I like you a little," Laura replied. "What do you want me to do about it? Please not something dumb like getting up at an assembly and proclaiming my feelings to everyone."

"Of course not," Edward replied. "I would never make you do that. But I would like to think that you'd at least tell people close to you. Unless, of course, you're ashamed."

"How can I be ashamed?" Laura asked. "We aren't even officially a couple yet!"

"Well, would you like to be?" Edward asked. "Now's as good a time as any to make that decision."

Laura squirmed. On the one hand, if she and Edward became a couple, her dad would find out and lord it over her about his good instincts, so that was a con of the idea. But he was incredibly well-built, and she supposed that if she could just get him some hipper clothes and a less nerdy haircut, something could actually be done with him.

"All right," she said. "But if you want to be around my friends, we're gonna have to make some changes."

"Changes?" Edward asked, his eyebrows knitting. "Why?"

"Because you dress like my dad," Laura told him. "And has it occurred to you that if you didn't, you wouldn't get tossed into lockers so much?"

"Fine," Edward sighed. "If it will make you happy, you can make me over. I don't mind."

"Good," Laura nodded. "After school, we'll head to the mall."

* * *

Edward studied his reflection in the dressing room mirror. The sight of himself dressed in tight black denim pants, a tight dark gray t-shirt, and a leather jacket. He supposed he looked good, but he didn't really feel like himself.

"Hey!" Laura called from outside the dressing room. "Are you decent? Can I come in there and see how you look?"

"Fine," Edward told her. "I'm dressed. You can come in."

Laura came in, took one look at him, and squealed, jumping up and down. "Oh, my god! You look so _good!_" She cried and turned him toward the mirror again. "Don't you think?"

"Yes," Edward sighed. "I guess."

"What's the matter?" Laura asked.

"Well, look at me," Edward told her.

"Gladly," Laura told him. "And I don't see a problem. Everything fits the way its supposed to. You look great!" She paused. "Except...do you really need your glasses? Could you function without them?"

"Not really," Edward replied. "I mean, I have contacts somewhere too, but I've never really worn them."

"Great!" Laura replied, snatching his glasses off his face. "Can you see?"

"No," Edward told her.

"I'll get the door for you," Laura told him.

"Why do we need to get the door?" Edward asked. "Shouldn't I change back into my other clothes so we can pay for this stuff?"

"I don't think that's necessary," Laura replied, folding the clothes he'd been wearing and putting them in a plastic bag. "I'll just tell the cashier you want to wear them out."

"But that's wrong," Edward reminded her. "You know your father wouldn't approve."

"Well, then it's good he isn't here," Laura told him. She put the plastic bag over her arm and grabbed the pile of clothes he wasn't wearing. "Let's go," she told him and strode out of the dressing room. A few minutes later, she heard a bang, and then a moan. Rolling her eyes, she walked back to the dressing room and found Edward laid out on his back, his nose bloody. "What happened to you?" She asked, putting the pile of clothes down and helping him up.

"Well, I can't exactly see, so I ran into the door!" Edward told her. "Give me my glasses back, please. At least until we get home."

"No," Laura shook her head. "It'll wreck the look. But if it will make you feel any better, I'll hold your hand until we get to the car."

"All right," Edward agreed. "But do you promise to hold on to me and not let me fall?"

"Sure," Laura agreed. "Why not?" She took his hand, and they dealt with the cashier, including getting her to remove all tags that would trigger alarms before taking the clothes out of the mall.

"I can't believe you didn't pay for those!" Edward told her. "It's so wrong! If your father was here, he'd-" Laura kissed him deep to shut him up and when she pulled away, his eyes were wide with shock. "What was that for?" He asked, touching his lips with the back of his hand.

"No special reason," Laura replied. "I just needed you to be quiet. You really can't yell about how I didn't pay for stuff in the middle of a parking lot."

"But it's not right," Edward repeated. "And you know that, Laura."

"Fine," Laura told him. "Next time we go to the mall, I'll actually pay for stuff. Would that make you happy?"

"This shouldn't be about me," Edward told her. "This should be about you wanting to make lawful and conscientious decisions."

"Get in the car," Laura ordered him. He got in the car without another word and they drove back to her house.

Elijah was the first to see them. "Oh, my god," he said, looking at Edward, his mouth hanging open.

"Do you like Edward's new wardrobe, Daddy?" Laura asked.

Elijah finally managed to sputter, "Laura, what did you _do_ to him?"

* * *

Elijah strode into Selina's bakery, Sweet Emotions a few days later, and stood in front of the counter, clearing his throat. The place was full of people and it took awhile for Selina to realize that he was even standing there.

Finally, he cleared his throat again and she looked up. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She cried. "Do you want your usual small black coffee and bran muffin?"

Elijah grinned and leaned closer to her face so that his breath brushed her lip. "Actually," he told her, "I was thinking of having something a little different today. Do you still have some of those cinnamon rolls that you were making yesterday?"

Selina looked at him in surprise. "You want a cinnamon roll with your coffee? _Really_?"

Elijah grinned. "Why not try something different every once in awhile? And do you suppose you could take a little time away from the counter to split it with me?"

"Sure," Selina nodded and called for one of the other staff members to take over for her temporarily. When she and Elijah were both sitting down, Selina cut the cinnamon roll in half, grabbed a piece, and bit into it.

"I have a question," she told Elijah. "How long has it been since either of us has taken any time off? Awhile?"

Elijah nodded. "I suppose."

"Well, do you also suppose you'd be up to telling your father that you want to spend the day with me at some point so you want a day off?"

Elijah nodded. "I could. But it won't make him happy, though."

"Oh, please," Selina scoffed. "The man's never happy, especially not about me, so what's gonna be new this time around?"

"True," Elijah agreed. "And given what's just happened between Gregory and Katerina, I don't think it would be wrong for us to want to have time to ourselves to recover from that news."

"Yeah," Selina agreed. "My biggest tormenter, the girl who completely screwed up my life, is now my _daughter in law_. It will take me awhile to get comfortable with that idea."

Elijah nodded. "I'm not exactly thrilled by the idea either, but if it makes Gregory happy, it's something we'll have to get used to."

"It's gonna be so hard," Selina said. "But I think I can do it. It's weird how whenever Katherine talks to me now, she always refers to me as Lonely Heart. Do you think it's her way of showing that she respects me?"

"I don't know," Elijah told her. "That could be."

"Cause it _would_ be easier for me to deal with her if I knew she respected me," Selina continued.

Elijah sighed. "Well, you _are_ just as powerful as she is now. You weren't back when you first met. I'd say that if she doesn't at least respect you enough to not pick fights with you, she's a fool."

"Yeah," Selina smiled. "I like that idea."

They finished their breakfast and Elijah stood up. "I have to go meet Father now," he said.

"Good luck!" Selina told him. "And are you gonna tell him about taking tomorrow off too?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded, taking her hand briefly and kissing her forehead. "I promise I'll tell him."

* * *

"Oh, god," Selina sighed with satisfaction as Elijah rolled off her. "That was so _good_."

Elijah grinned, ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her. "I'm glad you liked it."

"So do you think we should take a break now, or do you want me to just do you?" She asked. "Hopefully your father won't just keep calling and interrupting us. You _did_ tell him that you weren't meeting him today, right?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I promise I told him. I guess, like with most things connected to you, he's choosing to ignore it."

"Well, then, we'll just keep ignoring _him_ and do whatever the hell we want," Selina replied. "Now, shut your eyes. I want to do something."

Elijah obligingly shut his eyes and Selina grabbed one of his shirts and a red lacy bra from her underwear drawer and went to put them on, then came back into the room and climbed onto the bed and on top of Elijah, whose eyes were still closed.

"You can open your eyes now," she said. He opened his eyes and she began unbuttoning the shirt until her lacy bra was visible underneath it. His eyes were locked on her nimble fingers and she could feel his arousal underneath her. After she unbuttoned the shirt, she tossed it aside on the floor. Elijah was so entranced by her that he didn't notice this, and she leaned over him, her dark hair brushing his chest as her lips met his and his hands reached around her back to undo her bra. Once her bra had joined his shirt on the floor, he cupped her breasts, squeezing gently. She moaned softly as he gently pushed into her, and she held on tightly as she felt his release.

Just as things settled down again, however, Mikael burst through the door. "I was going to ask what that ungodly racket was that was pervading this house, but now I don't have to," he said, then addressed Elijah. "I have called you several times wanting to know where you were. Why haven't you answered me?"

"Well, if you recall, Father," Elijah told him as he sat up, "I told you yesterday that I would be taking today off to spend with Selina. I know you heard me say that and if you chose to ignore it, that's not my problem. Now, if you've said what you came to say, you can leave."

"I won't leave until you come with me," Mikael told him. He looked at Selina in disgust. "Get dressed," he said. "Elijah and I have important business to attend to and you're just distracting him."

"Well, I'm pretty sure he _wants_ to be around me," Selina told him. "And that it's _you_ who's being the distraction."

The three of them stared at each other until finally Elijah said, "I'm going to get dressed now. The pleasantness that was here before has been ruined."

"And you'll come with me once you're dressed," Mikael told him.

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I think I won't." He got dressed and Selina followed him soon after. Once she was out of the closet, Mikael took her roughly by the arm and began pulling her toward the front door. She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. Elijah followed after them and tried to help her, but he was unsuccessful too. Finally, they reached the front door and Mikael pulled it open with his free hand. Then, he locked eyes with Selina and said, "You have no memory of meeting me, my son or any other member of my family. Or even my wife's bastard son, Niklaus. Goodbye, my dear." He then tossed her roughly out the front door and down the two front steps. Then, he restrained Elijah until Selina was out of sight, which took awhile; for the longest time, she lay on the ground before finally struggling to her feet and limping away.

"Now, then," Mikael said, his voice full of satisfaction. "What do you say we get to work, son?"

"I have to go after her, Father!" Elijah replied. "I can't just let her wander around aimlessly! This is her home!"

Mikael gave a chuckle. "It's not her home anymore, son. She has no idea who you are. So even if you _could_ catch up to her, I very much doubt she'd allow you to bring her back."


	19. Cruel To Be Kind

"So we're married now," Katherine told Gregory. "And you have this idea in your head that that alone will save me from your grandfather. I don't know about that. What if you married me because you just wanted to marry me?"

"What?" Gregory scoffed. "No!"

"Well, I hope not," Katherine replied. "Cause you know how I feel about marriage."

"Yes, I do know how you feel about marriage, and anything else that requires you to make a genuine attachment to another person," Gregory told her. "You're completely incapable of it, which is why you ran away after I saved you when you got shot."

"I'm not incapable of feeling," Katherine told her. "I can. It's just that there's no one around worth getting attached to. There's a difference, you know." She boosted herself onto the counter and grabbed some potato chips out of a bag nearby, eating them one by one. When they were gone, she ran her hands under the faucet to get the salt and grease off and then turned to face Gregory again.

"Why do you think us being together will protect me from your grandfather?" She asked again. "You don't know that it will."

"Are you scared, Katerina?" Gregory asked. "Don't you trust me?"

Katherine shook her head. "I don't trust anyone," she replied, hopping off the counter. "I'm going to our room. If you want to join me, I'll be waiting for you."

Gregory stood in the kitchen in silence for a bit, and just as he was about to leave and join Katherine in the bedroom, the phone rang. He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Gregory," said the voice on the other end of the line. "It's your father. Is Katerina around?"

"Do you want to talk to her?" Gregory asked. "Because I can hand her the phone if you do."

"No," Elijah replied quickly. "I just wanted to make sure she wasn't out and about. With the mood your grandfather is in, she'd be dead for sure if he found her."

"Why?" Gregory asked.

"Because he finally got his revenge on your mother," Elijah said. "He got rid of all her memories concerning me, my siblings, him, or my mother and then threw her out of my house. So she's wandering around who knows where with no real knowledge of a large part of her life. I haven't found her yet and I'm afraid something might happen to her at night. I don't want you to go through the same thing with Katerina."

"Actually," Gregory assured him, "That's not going to happen. Grandfather specifically came to me after Katherine went on her little murder spree and told me that if I married her and stopped her from killing anyone else, he wouldn't go after her. So I don't have to worry."

"Well," Elijah replied, his voice full of surprise. "How lucky you are."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to go. Katherine is waiting for me." He hung up the phone before Elijah could say another word and went to join Katherine in their room. "What kept you?" She asked. "I was getting tired of waiting."

"My father called," Gregory told her. "Apparently, my grandfather has taken away all my mother's memories of my father and his family and thrown her out of Father's house so she's wandering around in the dark with no idea about a large part of her life."

Katherine frowned and let him go. "Are you gonna spend a lot of time worrying about this, or are we gonna have fun?"

"Of course," Gregory nodded as he stripped off her clothes and carried her to the bed, tying her wrists to the bedposts with the scarf. "Now, no talking. I have to concentrate. I can't have you getting away."

"If I _did_ run away," Katherine began with a twinkle in her eye and ignoring his request to be quiet cause he hadn't compelled her. "You would come look for me, right?"

"I would," Gregory nodded as he kissed her neck. "And when I found you, you know what I would do?"

"What?" Katherine asked, licking her lips. "Show me."

Gregory manipulated his face into a stern expression, bared his fangs, put his hands around her throat and shook her before pushing into her. She let out a shriek but it was cut off by Gregory closing his hands tighter around her throat. Finally, she passed out, and when she woke up again, she found herself alone in bed. She sat up as Gregory came out of the bathroom. "I wondered when you were gonna wake up," he remarked with a smirk. "Are you not as resilient in your old age, Katerina?"

Katherine glared. "Shut up," she replied.

Gregory just chuckled and climbed back into bed with her, kissing her and running his hands over her body. "You're never going to run away from me again," he said. "I'll make sure of that, no matter what I have to do to keep the promise."

"I knew you'd be the sort to make sure we keep our vows," Katherine replied. "You'll make sure that I'm stuck with you forever."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "Since death can't part us, I guess it _will_ be forever, won't it?"

* * *

"You look really good," Laura told Edward.

Edward looked at his blurry reflection in the mirror and wiped his eyes, which were watering from his contacts. But despite all that, he managed to straighten up and give her a smile. "I'm glad you're happy," he said. "That makes all of this worth it for me. Now, where exactly is it that we're going again?"

"Speedy Burger," Laura replied. "We're meeting my cousin Addie and a few other people there." She paused. "Why do you look so relieved?"

"Well, frankly, I thought you were going to drag me off to Enid's," Edward confessed. "And I really have no use for that place. But Speedy Burger should be all right. It'll be exciting to be in a popular establishment where young people congregate for their social activities." He grinned and Laura raised an eyebrow. "First lesson," she told him. "You're not allowed to talk like that while you're dressed in your new clothes. It ruins the image I have worked so hard to help you project!"

"Oh, all right," Edward rolled his eyes. "I'll try to be more hip when I talk."

"No," Laura shook her head. "That would be too awkward. Why don't you just stick to saying 'Hello', 'nice to meet you', and 'isn't that nice'?"

"Fine," Edward said as he and Laura got in her car to go to the Speedy Burger. "We'll go and I won't say a word, just for you. But I really don't appreciate you treating me like I'm nothing in front of your friends."

"Are you kidding?" Laura asked. "I'm doing you a favor because I don't want to see you humiliate yourself."

"No, you don't want me to humiliate_ you_," Edward corrected. "And I have to say that on my end, the feeling is mutual."

Laura's hands froze on the steering wheel. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," Edward replied as he buckled his seat belt, "How do you think I'm gonna feel when we go to meet my friends and the only way they'll know you is because of whatever notorious stuff you've pulled while you've been in school?"

"Don't you talk to me like that," Laura told him. "I have a reputation to protect at school and from what I've seen, yours can only be improved by your association with me."

"You're wrong," Edward told her firmly. "I was perfectly happy with my life before I met you, and I will _still _be happy with it regardless of what my friends or your friends think of us together. It seems that it's you who's manipulating me to make yourself feel better and not the other way around, and I have to say, I really don't appreciate that." He got out of the car and held the door open. "Tell your friends that I apologize for not being there to meet them, but something very urgent came up, so I had to stay home."

"Oh, come on," Laura told him. "Don't be a spoilsport. Will you come with me if I agree to go meet _your_ friends at another time?"

"No," Edward shook his head. "You don't get it. It's not just about meeting your friends. It's about how you want me to act around them. You want me to squash everything that I am cause you think I'll make a bad impression. So you just go and I'll stay home and not be in your way."

"Fine," Laura sighed. "I'll go by myself. But you're missing out."

As much as Laura didn't want to admit it (and she never would out loud), the meeting at Speedy Burger wasn't fun for her, and she didn't exactly know why. Was it because she knew that on some level, she'd been cruel and hurt Edward's feelings? He really _was_ an incredibly sweet, if somewhat socially awkward guy. She left early and when she got home, she shut the door softly behind her and ran straight into Elijah.

"Good, I found you," he said. "I think we need to talk."

"Am I in trouble?" Laura asked.

"No, you're not in trouble," Elijah told her. "I just want to talk."

"All right," Laura nodded, following him to his office. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I got a call from your principal today," Elijah told her. "He informed me that you're getting a B minus in science this semester."

"Yeah," Laura sighed, looking dejected. "I know I did horrible. I'll try to do better next time." She got up to leave the office, but Elijah stopped her. "Now hold on a minute," he said. "I didn't say there was anything wrong with you getting the grade you did. You've been doing very well in school lately and I wanted to tell you how proud I am of your efforts. You're very smart and I'm happy that it's finally being shown in your schoolwork."

"You are?" Laura asked in surprise. "I thought you'd be upset because I wasn't getting A's like Gregory did."

"Come back here," Elijah told her.

Confused, Laura came back to his desk and sat opposite him. "I don't want you to think that I want you to be the same as Gregory," Elijah told her. "You're two separate people with two separate interests and skill sets. I know that science and math are not your favorite things, although Gregory excels in them. I just want people to know how smart you are, which they won't be able to do if you fight against your teacher and your grades suffer because of it. The world needs all sorts of people, Laura. I've learned that over the last thousand years. People like me, who are very serious-minded and intellectual need people like you and your mother in our lives to remind us to relax every once in awhile. To remind us not to take life so seriously, lest we forget how to have fun too. Your mother does that for me, and you do that for Edward, much like how he helps you with your school work. Don't underestimate yourself, dear. Be proud of the person that you are. I promise that I am."

"All right," Laura nodded. "I will, I promise." She sat quietly for a moment and then said, "Have you heard anything about Mom? Do you know where she is?"

"Not yet," Elijah shook his head. "I can't say I'm not worried by that."

"Why do you think Grandfather did what he did?" Laura asked. "What does he have against Mom?"

"He's never liked her," Elijah shook his head. "And it's not even because she's so young. It's because of all the times she was able to get away from him during her Lonely Heart days. Not being able to catch her made him feel like an idiot and if there's anything my father hates, it's that. Also, when I realized I loved your mother, Father and I kind of drifted apart when previously, we'd been very close. I know he also blames your mother for that rift. And now he's finally taken his revenge and she's wandering around who knows where with no memory of her family or who she is."

"Why did you keep Edward and me here when you sent all the other kids away?" Laura asked.

"Well, naturally," Elijah told her, "when I find her, she'll have no idea who I am, or that we're married or anything else I tell her. And you look so much like her that that'll probably be the only way I'll be able to convince her that you children are hers."

"I don't think you'll have a hard time convincing her," Laura assured him.

"One more thing before you go," Elijah told her. "Why are you back so early?"

Laura sighed. "I might have said some things to Edward before I left that were cruel and I thought so much about them while I was out that I couldn't have fun, so I just came home."

"What did you say to Edward?" Elijah asked.

"I just..." Laura sighed. "I told him that I didn't want him saying much when we met with my friends because a lot of the time when he tries to sound cool and talk like a normal person, it sounds really awkward and embarrassing, so I said that when we met with my friends, he could only say 'Hello,' 'Nice to meet you,' and 'Isn't that nice?'"

Elijah gave her a look of disapproval. "Laura, you didn't!"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "I did. I guess I could have used the talk about how you appreciate what about Mom is different from you before I did that, huh?"

"Yes," Elijah replied. "I'm sure he's still up. I want you to go and apologize to him."

Laura nodded. "Yes, Daddy. I'll go do that." She left Elijah and made her way to Edward's room. She stood outside for a few minutes, hearing that he was talking to someone inside. Finally she knocked on his door.

"What?" He asked huffily when he opened it, his cell phone in his hand. "What do you want? And make it quick. I was setting up another date with Ruth, someone who appreciates me for being who I am and doesn't want me to be someone I'm not, just so I can hang out with her."

"Can I come in?" She asked. "I would like to talk to you."

"Fine," Edward sighed. "Come in." Laura stepped in and went to sit on his bed. She cleared her throat and gazed at him. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Sorry for what?" Edward asked. "And why are you back so early?"

"I'm sorry I was so mean to you about Speedy Burger," Laura elaborated. "I was incredibly cruel before I left, and I didn't have a lot of fun while I was out because I was too busy thinking about how much I hurt you."

"Really?" Edward asked. "_That's_ surprising."

"I know, right?" Laura nodded. "That's why I came back so early." She hopped off the bed. "I think I'll go to my room now. You probably don't want to talk to me anymore."

"Good night," Edward told her. "And thanks for coming to apologize. That must've been hard for you. Maybe tomorrow we can start thinking about your project for the science fair coming up."

"We could," Laura nodded. "I look forward to it. Now you better get back on the phone with Ruth so you can make your date. I hope you enjoy yourself."

"Oh, I bet I will," Edward nodded. "I bet I will."


	20. Making New Memories

"You know," Edward said to Laura as they worked on her science project. "I'm proud of you for agreeing to do this. I didn't think you would."

"Well," Laura replied, "Thanks for the compliment, and for helping me."

"Why _are_ you doing this?" Edward asked her. "Your grades are good enough by now that you don't need the extra credit."

"I didn't do it for the extra credit," Laura replied. "I'm doing it because every person who enters gets a participant ribbon at the very least, right?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "In addition to any other awards the project might receive."

Laura sighed. "I'm doing this because I want a ribbon on the mantle where people can see it, along with Colin's baseball trophies and Gregory's awards for having the best grades. I want to be known for doing something great too!"

"Your acting is wonderful," Edward told her. "I've seen one of your plays."

"Well, thanks," Laura replied. "But acting is not the same thing as doing science. Doing science requires intelligence. You can't act and be taken seriously."

"Do you know about Hedy Lemarr?" Edward asked.

Laura shook her head. "Who's that?"

"She was a beautiful actress in the old days," Edward said. "And she was also very intelligent. She came up with a patent for a machine to prevent allied torpedoes from being detected. The patent ran out but it's on record that she did it."

"Wow," Laura said in amazement. "She was that smart and she chose to go into acting?"

"Don't be critical of your talents," Edward told her. "The world needs all kinds of people."

Laura smiled. "That's what my father told me. But I guess I needed to hear it from you, too. Thanks, Edward."

"You're welcome," Edward replied, and placed a hand on top of hers. Just then, they heard a noise and he quickly pulled it off, looked up, and saw Elijah standing at the edge of the living room.

"Hey, Daddy," Laura greeted him. "What's up?"

Elijah went to put on a coat. "I'm going to go see if I can find your mother," he said. "Can the two of you handle yourselves responsibly while I'm gone?"

"Oh, yes," Edward nodded earnestly. "I swear we won't do anything but work on Laura's project until you get back."

"Good," Elijah nodded. "I don't know how long it's going to be, though. If I'm going to be out late, I promise I'll call."

"How much luck do you really think you're gonna have?" Laura asked. "You've been looking for _days_ and you haven't seen her at all."

Elijah sighed. "I know. That probably means that now I'll have to branch out into the disreputable parts of town. Knowing my luck, and your mother's personality, that's probably where she's gone."

"All right," Laura nodded. "Do you want someone to come with you?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I should be able to manage, but thank you for offering, dear. You just stay here with Edward and work on your project."

"Well, I hope you find Mom today," Laura told him.

"I know," Elijah replied, thinking longingly of his wife. "I hope I do too."

* * *

Selina sat on the stoop of the rundown apartment building and watched as the expensive car drove into the area. She watched it for a few seconds and then called over her shoulder, "Hey, Stevie! Looks like we've got a really good mark out here! Come and see!"

A few seconds later, a scruffy, stocky boy with a ruddy complexion came up behind her. "You're right," he said with a grin. "That _is _gonna be a good mark." He pulled Selina up from the stoop and kissed her deeply, then let her go and slapped her on the bottom. "Watch me work," he said. "I think you'll be impressed." He pasted a grin on his face and strode toward Elijah's car. "Hey," he said, after motioning for Elijah to lower his window. "You lost or something, man? We don't usually get cars this nice around here."

Elijah peered over the man's shoulder at Selina, who was still perched on the stoop. "That woman there," he said, gesturing. "Do you know her?"

"Lina?" The man asked. "Yeah, what about her?"

"She's my wife," Elijah replied. "What are _you_ doing with her?" As Elijah advanced on him, Stevie began to back up toward the stoop. "Now listen," Stevie told him nervously. "She never said anything about being married. You're not a pimp, are you? Are you trying to say that she works for you or something?"

"No," Elijah said through his teeth and grabbed the man by his thick neck and shoved him against thre side of the apartment complex. "I'm saying she is my wife, and that if you've touched her, if you've so much as _breathed_ on her, you're going to be very sorry."

"Hey!" Selina ran over and tried to separate the pair of them. "Just who the hell do you think you are to come here and hurt people like this? Do you think we're gonna be impressed by your suit and your fancy car and do whatever you say? Well, we aren't, so get out of here, would you? Leave us alone!"

Elijah gave Stevie a few punches in the gut and then dropped him on the pavement for good measure before turning to face her. Her tangled hair was pulled up in a messy bun, her face was dirty, and the olive green tank top and jean shorts she wore didn't look like they'd been washed in a while.

"What has this place done to you?" He asked her. He reached out to put a hand on her cheek, but she slapped it away. "Don't touch me," she told him firmly. She started to try and pull Stevie up from the ground. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I have to get Stevie to the hospital."

"No," Elijah said, grabbing her roughly and pulling her to him. "Leave Stevie where he is and come home with me where you belong. He has a whole lifetime of bad decisions ahead of him that you don't need to be a part of."

Selina burst out laughing and the scent of her breath caused Elijah to tilt his head back a little. "You're drunk, aren't you?" He asked.

Selina gestured at the ramshackle apartment building and other buildings beside it, some of which were condemned. "Of course I'm drunk," she said. "If you lived around here, you would be too!"

"I'm offering to take you somewhere better," Elijah told her patiently. "Things don't have to be this way for you."

"Well, I'm not gonna accept your offer," Selina told him. "I don't get into cars with men I don't know." A grin spread over her face. "Unless of course, you want a tumble. I charge three-hundred a turn."

Elijah felt sick to his stomach. "_Please_ tell me you haven't been giving your body away for money."

"Yep," Selina nodded. "How do you think I get the money to get drunk? And sometimes, if I don't have money, all I gotta do is look at people real close and they give me whatever I want for free."

Elijah shut his eyes tight and groaned. He'd never wanted to kill his father so much.

"I think you should go," Selina told him firmly. "I need to get Stevie to the hospital."

Elijah nodded and got in his car, driving a discreet distance and then watching as Selina got the drunk, deadweight Stevie into an old, dirty green truck and drove in an erratic fashion away from the apartment building. Sensing that something bad was going to happen, he followed them. His fears were proven right a short while later when they crashed into another car and then went careening off the road and into a ditch. Elijah watched this happen and then pulled onto the shoulder, got an unconscious Selina out of the ditch, put her in the backseat of his car, and then left, but not before calling an ambulance to come and retrieve Stevie.

* * *

Selina opened her eyes and looked around the large, sedately colored room. "Where am I?" She asked herself. Just then, she heard a knock at the door. "Come in?" She called hesitantly. A few seconds later, a well-dressed man in a suit entered and the sight of him caused Selina to tense. "I know you!" She cried. "You're the one who beat up Stevie! Why did you do that? What do you want with me? This could be considered kidnapping!"

"I did what I did to your friend Stevie because he should know better than to sneak around with other men's wives," Elijah told her. "I was merely claiming my territory and telling him to stay away."

"Other men's wives?" Selina asked. "Who am I married to? You? I don't remember that!"

"Note the ring on your finger," Elijah told her. "I gave you that."

Selina looked him over and smiled. "No, you didn't," she said.

"Yes," Elijah insisted. "I _did_. What would make you say that I didn't?"

"Cause I would never marry a guy like you," Selina said. "You're not my type. And Stevie asked me to hock my ring so I could give him money for drugs, but I decided not to, because it was so pretty."

"But you_ did _marry me," Elijah replied, producing his and Selina's wedding photo, and doing the best he could to ignore the fact that she'd almost sold his ring for drug money.

"I see it but I don't believe it!" Selina cried, snatching it away from him. "You must've photoshopped this or something."

"What do I need to do to prove to you that I'm right?" Elijah asked impatiently. "This going back and forth is getting us nowhere!"

"Fine," Selina said. "Tell me why I married you!"

"I won't tell you," he replied, sitting next to her on the bed and taking her in his arms. "But I'll show you." And then he kissed her with such passion and intensity that Selina felt as if all her muscles were melting, so that when he ended the kiss, she slumped forward, her head on his shoulder, as he still held her. "Wow," she said n shock. "I don't know you, but at least it's abundantly clear to me why we got married. And who'd a thunk it? I mean look at you!"

"It's my best kept secret," he whispered and grinned against her ear.

A few seconds after that, a girl strode in through Selina's open bedroom door. "She's up!" The girl cried. Selina's eyes widened at the sight of the girl. "Oh, my god," she said. "You look just like me!"

"Well, yeah," the girl replied. "You're my mom. I'm Laura. Do you remember me?"

"Obviously she doesn't," Elijah replied. "My father was very thorough when he took away her memories."

Selina looked away from Laura and back to Elijah. "So we've had a kid," she worked out, studying Laura. "And you don't look little, so our marriage obviously wasn't recent."

"No," Elijah shook his head. "It's been about twenty years, I think. When you get to be as old as I am, you lose track of these things."

"And I'm not your only child," Laura said.

"Laura!" Elijah said severely. "Don't say any more. We don't want to overwhelm her this soon."

"She's gonna have to find out sometime," Laura told him. "It might as well be now."

"What's so bad about us having more kids?" Selina asked. "I don't know why that would be alarming to me."

"I have five other siblings," Laura told her. "And three of them are seven-year-old triplets."

Selina's jaw dropped. "_Triplets?_ No fucking way!"

Elijah gritted his teeth and Selina looked at Laura. "What's wrong with him?"

"He doesn't like it when you swear," Laura told her.

"Oh," Selina nodded, pulling a cigarette out of the pocket of her jeans along with a match. She lit the cigarette and was about to inhale when Elijah snatched it out from under her nose. "We don't smoke here either," he said sternly.

"Well, gee," Selina said. "The price of high living really _is_ high. Would there be anything I _am_ actually allowed to do?"

"Lots of things," Elijah assured her. "As long as it's not drinking or smoking. I really don't think that's too much to ask."

Just then, a boy in a suit came to stand next to Laura in the doorway. "Hey," he grinned and took Laura's hand. "Glad to see your mother is all right."

"Mom," Laura said, indicating Edward. "This is Edward. He's in my class. And, due to difficulties at home, he's currently living with us, but he's not one of my siblings."

Selina looked at their joined hands and grinned. "So," she said, "are the two of you a couple or something?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded before either Laura or Edward had a chance to answer.

"Daddy!" Laura reprimanded him. "Don't say stuff like that. We're not a couple. You just_ wish _we were."

"Well, don't sound like you're so against the idea," Edward replied defensively. "It could happen."

"It could," Laura replied. "But I'd like that decision to be made by the two of us, not by my father."

"We're just friends now," Edward told Selina, who was eying them with interest. "With any change in status to be determined at a later date."

Selina smirked. "So," she said to Elijah. "Where _are_ our other kids?"

"Our eldest son moved out and has his own residence, and I sent the younger four to live with various friends and relatives. I thought it might be traumatizing for them to be around you when you have no idea who they are before I've properly prepared them for the situation," Elijah told her.

"Smart move," Selina replied. "Cause if I would have seen those triplets before I was prepared for them, it would have traumatized _me_ too."

They were all silent for a moment before Edward cleared his throat. "Laura and I have to go put the finishing touches on her science project. If you'll excuse us..." He and Laura left, leaving Elijah and Selina alone together.

"I have a question," she asked finally. "Why is it that I don't remember you? I mean, from the looks of that girl Laura and our wedding photo, it's clear we have a history. Was it the accident that made me forget?" She paused. "Oh, wait. It couldn't have been because I didn't know you _before_ the accident either."

Elijah sat next to her and took her hand. "It wasn't the accident," he told her. "And depending on if I can talk to the right people or not, you might never have your old memories back again."

"Why not?" Selina asked.

"Because my father doesn't like you, you made him angry, and as revenge, he erased all your memories of life with me, my siblings, and my parents, which unfortunately for you, is a significant part of your life."

"Is your father a vampire too?" Selina asked. "How is that possible? Hell, how is it even possible that we have kids? Vampires can't have kids!"

"Usually they can't," Elijah nodded. "But me and my family are special. We were the first vampires ever made, and because we didn't have to die in order to become what we are, we can still procreate. It's only the ones made with our blood and the blood of others that we've created that can't bear children. Just nature's way of preventing one species from becoming more powerful than the others."

"Well, then how come_ I_ can have kids, then?" Selina asked. "Cause I'm pretty sure I'm not one of the first vampires ever made. It would be creepy for us to be married and have kids if I was."

"How you can have children is complicated and a conversation for another day," Elijah told her. "Do you feel well enough to get out of bed and maybe go out to dinner with me?"

"I don't know," Selina replied skeptically.

"If it's because you're nervous, I can have Laura and Edward come with us and be chaperones," Elijah told her. "Would that help?"

Selina sighed. "What the hell?" She replied. "You seem nice enough."

"Wear something nice," Elijah instructed her. "Would you like me to send Laura up to help you?"

"Sure," Selina nodded. "Why not?"

Laura helped Selina dress and then told Elijah and Edward to wait at the bottom of the stairs while she came down. When he saw her, Elijah's breath caught in his throat. She wore a knee-length red dress with a ruffly skirt and cap sleeves. Her dark hair was in loose curls cascading down her shoulders. When she reached the landing, she grinned. "What?" She asked.

"You look beautiful," he said.

"Well, thank you," she replied. "You look pretty studly yourself."

"You're too kind," Elijah replied. They walked out the front door leaving Edward and Laura alone for a moment.

"Well," he said, "I've been trying to think of a compliment I can give you, but I can't find anything fitting enough. Everything I can think of doesn't express the depth of my feelings properly."

Laura nodded. "Well, I suppose that that in itself is a compliment," she said. "Sorry if this whole 'chaperoning my parents' date' thing is weird for you. My dad told you, right?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "He did. And yes, it might be a little strange, but that doesn't mean we have to be miserable, right? We can have just as much fun as your parents."

"Even though we're going on a double date with them?" Laura asked skeptically. "You don't think that's weird?"

"It will be what we choose to make it," Edward replied resolutely. "And I choose to have a good time. Do you?"

"Sure," Laura replied. "Why not?"

Just then, the car horn honked. "You two, get out here!" Selina called.

"We better go," Laura said.

Edward put his elbow out. "May I escort you to the car?" He asked.

Laura slipped her hand underneath it. "Thank you," she said. "I would be honored."


	21. Putting Together The Pieces

**Just to be safe, I'll put a warning in this chapter for a mention of rape.**

After the four of them had been perusing the menu for a bit and Selina had decided what she wanted, she noticed there was a band playing up on a stage and that the tunes they played were very lively.

"Will you come and dance with me?" she asked Elijah. "I really like the music and I can't dance alone."

Elijah looked around. No one else was dancing. Everyone else in the room was either eating or had their heads buried in their own menus.

"No one else is dancing," Elijah told her. "I don't think we should either."

"Why not?" Selina asked. "Don't you hear the music? How could you not want to dance to it? Or is it that you're just not a good dancer?"

"I'm a_ very _good dancer, thank you very much!" Elijah replied, his feathers a bit ruffled. "But I don't think now is the appropriate time to show off."

"Why not?" Selina asked. "I highly doubt they'll drag us kicking and screaming back to our table once we get up there and cut a rug."

Elijah gave her a long look. Part of him really didn't want to dance in front of the whole room of people when no one else was, but another part of him just wanted to have his arms around her again, regardless of anything else.

"All right," He said, getting up and offering her his hand. "Let's go dance."

* * *

While Edward watched Elijah and Selina dance, he suddenly felt a hand snaking its way up his thigh. He started and then looked wide eyed at Laura. "What did you do that for?" He asked her.

Laura shrugged. "I was just feeling the fabric of your pants. They looked like they were soft and I wanted to see if that was true."

"You know," Edward felt himself flushing. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. If the waiter comes and asks what I want to drink, just tell him I want a lemonade or something."

He sped away from the table and Laura got up to follow him. When he went into the men's room, she followed without hesitation. Luckily for them, it was empty.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Edward asked when he saw her. "Why would you follow me to the bathroom?"

"Did I do something wrong?" Laura asked. "You walked away pretty fast."

"I didn't realize you were gonna touch me," Edward told her. "I was just a little surprised."

A guy opened the door and opened his mouth at the sight of Laura, but she shoved him out. "This bathroom is closed for the moment," she told him. "You'll have to find another one. And tell that to anyone else who wants to come inside."

"You can't just do that!" Edward said.

"Yeah, I can," Laura told him. "How are we supposed to talk about this if we don't have privacy?"

"Fine," Edward replied. "I just thought it was weird that you were touching me under the table."

"Are you aware of how good looking you are?" Laura asked. "Are you aware that that is making me feel things for you that are driving me crazy? You won't kiss me, you won't let me touch you, how the hell am I supposed to work through all these things that I'm feeling? I don't have the self-control that you do!"

"You'll have your chance," Edward assured her. "You just have to wait a bit."

"How long?" Laura cried.

"Until we get married," Edward repeated firmly. "That way, we'll have your father's blessing and I won't have to worry." He began pushing her to the bathroom door. "Now you go back to the table. The waiter is probably wondering where we've all gone."

"Fine," Laura told him. "But this discussion is _not_ over."

She went back to the table and was surprised to see that her parents were still dancing and that her father was actually getting into it. They didn't come back until Elijah finally saw the waiter approaching the table. Then he took Selina's hand and led her back to the table.

"Where did the two of you run off to before?" Elijah asked Laura.

"The bathroom," Laura said. "He had to go and then I realized I had to go too."

"Well, I'm glad you got it taken care of," Elijah said. "Now let's eat."

* * *

Before she went to bed that night, Laura knocked on Elijah's office door and when he let her in, she strode purposefully to his desk, a deep frown on her face. "What is your problem?" She asked him.

"What is my problem with what?" He asked. "You'll have to be more specific."

"Edward is afraid to even _kiss _me because he thinks that any time he tries, you'll suddenly pop out of thin air and scold him or kill him or something. You wouldn't do that, would you?"

Elijah sighed. "He's of werewolf descent, Laura. And men like him aren't exactly known for having good control of their emotions and libidos once they let them go. I'm afraid that even a kiss could turn into something much more serious if given a chance and I don't want that. Edward doesn't either."

"You are such a hypocrite!" Laura yelled at him. "I bet you and Mom kissed and had sex all the time before you got married, and now I don't get to kiss the guy I like because you've frightened him into believing something terrible will happen if we do? Daddy, how _could_ you?"

"I think that learning to control your base urges is a very useful skill," Elijah replied calmly. "Thanks to the fact that you and Edward are not constantly engaging in carnal thoughts or activities, you're able to engage your brains in far more useful pursuits, like your project for the science fair. You'll really thank me later for this, Laura dear."

"I doubt it," Laura replied. "And I still think that you believing Edward is capable of something so rotten makes you an awful hypocrite. But what do I know? I'm just a kid who has to be constantly policed, lest my hormones get loose and ruin everything. What do I know?" Before Elijah could respond, she stomped out of the room just as Selina was coming in. "What was_ that _all about?" She asked. "Did you say something to upset her?"

"She told me that she wanted to kiss her boyfriend and I said that I wouldn't allow it because that might have disastrous consequences," Elijah responded. "And apparently, she has a problem with that."

"Which boyfriend are we talking about?" Selina asked, sitting down on the other side of the desk. "That Edward kid? The nerdy looking one?"

Elijah nodded.

"How could you be worried about him and Laura having disastrous consequences from kissing?" Selina asked. "Even if it _did_ go farther than that, from the looks of that boy, I doubt he knows where anything is."

Elijah jumped up and leaned across the desk so that he and Selina were practically nose to nose. "Don't underestimate a teenage boy when his hormones are raging," he said. "And Edward, as much as I like him, is of werewolf descent, which means that he is particularly vulnerable to the influences of his hormones."

"Show me what that looks like," Selina challenged, a sparkle in her eye. "Show me what happens when a man gets overcome by his hormones."

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I don't think this is the right time."

"I think it _is_ the right time," Selina told him. "I was gone for awhile, and if you're as faithful to me as you claim, that means you probably are feeling a little...needy. Am I right?" She leaned forward and nipped his bottom lip, and then unbuttoned her shirt so he had a clear view of her chest.

"No," Elijah replied, though his protestation was half-hearted. "Not now, please."

"Are you _sure_?" Selina pressed. She leaned forward and kissed him deeply. He tried to resist, but ended up putting his arms around her and pulling her over the desk instead, sending everything on it flying all over the room. He lay her on the sofa bed and ran his hands up her legs and under her skirt, kissing her again. But then, as he pulled away, he paused, looking down at her eager, flushed face.

"I can't do this," he said, walking away from the bed.

"Why not?" Selina asked. "You had a good start!"

"You don't even know who I am!" Elijah reminded her. "It wouldn't be right."

"You say you're my husband, right?" Selina asked him.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "That's true."

"And do we often end up like this in here?" Selina asked. "I saw that the bed was already pulled out and waiting."

Elijah nodded. "We have six children, so I think it would be obvious that sex is an important part of our daily activities."

"So why don't we just _do_ it now?" Selina asked. "It might help bring some of my memories back!"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I'm afraid nothing will bring your memories back unless my father decides to return them to you, and I don't think that will happen. Not for a very long time, if at all. I think the best thing to do, knowing that, would be just to start over. And about the sex, we _will_ have it, I assure you. I would just feel better if you knew me better first. It would make me feel less like a man who's taking advantage of a helpless amnesiac for his own selfish purposes."

"Helpless?" Selina smirked. "Seriously? You know that Stevie guy you beat up? Before I used my powers to compel him to be a halfway decent person, he was a pimp, all right? He had tons of girls at his disposal and to see if they'd be good at what they did, he'd take them out to the side of the apartment building where the dumpsters were, force them to strip, then stand against the apartment building as if they were being searched. Then, he'd unzip enter them from the back so he'd have his hands free to fondle their breasts and penetrate them from the front as well. He _did _try to put me through the same thing, but I broke his hand. And bit him. And then compelled him to never touch another girl again."

"I would have just killed him," Elijah told her. "Hell, I _should've_ killed him." He paused. "Let's talk about something else."

"Or," Selina responded, giving him her best bedroom eyes. "We don't have to talk at all. There are other things we could do instead."

"I already told you, not yet," Elijah replied firmly. "You told me when you first saw me again in no uncertain terms that I was not the sort of man you were attracted to. Now I want to take the time to show you how wrong you are."

"Well, clearly I _was _wrong," Selina agreed. "Can't I just say 'I'm sorry' and then things will continue as they were? _Please_?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "We will go out on three dates, have real discussion about things, and then after the third date, we'll see how we want to proceed with things."

"Can't we discuss this?" Selina asked. "Maybe reach some sort of compromise?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I will remain firm on this. I'm sorry. Now let's get some sleep. It's late."

Selina rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said and buttoned up her shirt. "You really have some willpower, don't you?"

"I don't _enjoy_ having to hold back," Elijah replied. "It's just one of the unfortunate things I have to do in order to be responsible."

"There's being responsible and then there's being a monk," Selina told him. "I mean, I'm touched that you're worried about me, but really, if we have sex now, I'd be okay with it. I wouldn't feel like you're taking advantage of me at all. And shouldn't that be the most important thing for you?"

"Three dates," Elijah told her firmly as he took her hand. "It really won't be so long a wait. I promise."

Selina rolled her eyes and left the office, starting a little when she saw Laura standing outside. "So?" she asked her mother. "Did you get him to budge any about anything?"

"Not a bit," Selina shook her head. "And that was even _after_ I unbuttoned my blouse. I guess he's got it in for both of us."

"Did he give you the 'I'm doing this for your own good' spiel too?" Laura asked, ignoring Selina's remark about her blouse.

"He didn't use those exact words," Selina replied. "But that's what the general tone conveyed."

Laura sighed. "I'm sorry," she said. "Daddy can be so _difficult_ sometimes."

"I'm sorry for you too," Selina replied, taking Laura's hand. "You wanna go out and talk tomorrow? Maybe tell me stuff I can't remember? I have a feeling that it will be easier to get stuff out of you than it would your father."

Laura nodded. "All right," she said. "When I go to work tomorrow, You come with me."

* * *

"So where exactly do you work?" Selina asked eagerly the next day.

"It's a bar called Enid's," Laura replied. "Caters primarily to werewolves and people of werewolf descent, although if you're not a werewolf, but you know someone who is, they'll generally let you in as long as you have someone who can vouch for you."

"Your father let you work in a bar?" Selina asked. "He doesn't seem like the type."

"He threw a fit when I first told him that that was where I wanted to work," Laura replied. "But you talked him into it."

"I did?" Selina asked in surprise. "It must have been a doozy of a thing I said to convince him."

"Yep," Laura replied as they pulled into the parking lot of Enid's. "It was. Come on." They went inside and Laura got prepared for work while Selina took a seat at the bar. A few seconds later, another girl who looked oddly like her popped up from behind it, causing her to start.

"Sorry, Mom," she said with a smile. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you."

"Did you just call me 'Mom'?" Selina asked curiously. "Are you one of the six kids I have with my husband that I haven't met yet?"

"No," Roxie shook her head. "You and my father aren't married anymore. Right now, you're married to Uncle Elijah. _My_ father is his brother, Klaus. You know that. Is something wrong?"

"My grandfather took away all her memories of Daddy and the rest of the family," Laura told Roxie. "She doesn't know about her life with your dad, or my dad, or Uncle Alexander, or..."

"Wait a minute!" Selina interrupted, looking at Laura. "Are you telling me that I wasn't always married to your father?"

"No," Laura shook her head. "Before him, you were married to Uncle Klaus and had Roxie here, and also Adrian and Lucy."

"Lucy also has a twin brother named Sam who was fathered by Damon, but ever since Damon and Lucy started dating, Sam's not around much anymore. I think he got scarred for life by the idea that his father is dating his sister," Roxie added.

"Well, I don't blame him," Selina replied. She looked at Laura again. "Elijah _knows_ that I was married to his brother and had kids with him, right? Like, this isn't some big mysterious secret that's really gonna piss him off when he finds out?"

"Oh, he knows," Roxie assured her. "In fact, he helped you raise both Lucy and Adrian so that they stayed mostly on the straight and narrow."

"What about you?" Selina asked her. "Did_ you _stay on the straight and narrow?"

"No," Roxie shook her head, smirking. "What can I say? I'm a rebel. Can you really not remember anything about me or dad or any of us?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "Not a thing, I swear. But it's nice to know that Damon and I had another chance to have a kid after we both missed out on raising Joshua. He was my first kid with Damon that I didn't get to raise because I became a vampire."

"We know," Roxie replied. "You told us. Or he told me. Someone did."

Just then, the door to the bar opened and Edward strolled in. "Hey," Laura said in surprise. "I thought you didn't like coming here."

"I don't," Edward replied, sitting next to Selina. "But I think we need to talk about what happened at the bathroom at the restaurant."

Roxie's eyes widened. "What did happen in the bathroom at the restaurant? Now I'm intrigued."

"Get your mind out of the gutter," Laura told her. "All we did was kiss. Or at least that was what _would _have happened if he wasn't so chicken."

"Respecting your father and you and being chicken are two totally different things," Edward countered.

"Just stop!" Laura told him. "If you're not attracted to me and that's why you're not wanting any physical contact, tell me so I can move on."

"I'm plenty attracted to you," Edward told her. "You remember what it felt like when I kissed you before."

"Obviously you hated it or otherwise you'd want to do it again," Laura replied.

"I didn't hate it," Laura replied. "I liked it. A lot. And I really _do_ want to do it again...but your father..." He trailed off.

"Dad's not here right now," Laura told Edward. "He never comes here because he hates this place. You could kiss me here without worrying about getting caught."

"Go ahead and do it, Eddie," Roxie told him. "I don't think she'll let this go until you do."

"Well, I think you're right about that," Edward told her. Swallowing, he sprayed some breath spray in his mouth. "Ready?" He asked Laura.

"You mean you want to kiss me right now?" Laura asked in surprise.

"Why not?" Edward asked, his demeanor becoming more relaxed. "Did you not say that your father won't show up here to interrupt us?"

"Yep," Laura replied, bounding over the bar. Edward took her in his arms and kissed her soundly. When he finally pulled away, she was in shock. "Good enough for you?" He asked.

"Yeah," Laura replied. "Yeah, it was. Thank you." Then, she looked at Selina. "You won't tell Dad about this, will you?"

"I won't," Selina assured her. "It will be our secret."

* * *

"Anything interesting happen at work today?" Klaus asked Roxie as she came through the door of his house.

"Mom showed up," Roxie replied. "And apparently, Mikael's taken away all her memories of us. She didn't even know that she was married to you or that Adrian, Lucy, and I even existed."

"Wait a minute," Klaus replied. "Just us?"

"Not _just_ us," Roxie replied. "Our whole family. She doesn't remember anything about her life with you, Uncle Elijah, or any other Original. Apparently, she's been like that for a bit now."

"And yet my brother didn't see fit to call and tell me," Klaus said. "Well, that's disappointing."

"Speaking of things that are disappointing, any phone calls from Stefan or Felicity about how things are going in New Orleans?"

"Not much," Klaus said. "But Adrian told me they aren't even at his house anymore."

"Well, that's strange," Roxie said. "Where did they go?"

"He didn't say," Klaus replied. "I've been trying to suppress my anger over that all day. You know how much I hate being lied to."

"Yeah," Roxie nodded. "I know. You're gonna go see Uncle Elijah, aren't you?"

Klaus stood up and nodded. He strode out of the house, got in his car, and drove to Elijah's, knocking furiously on the door. When Elijah answered it with a curt "What is it that you want, Niklaus?", Klaus had to take another deep breath. "When were you going to tell me that Selina lost her memory? I had to hear it from Roxanne!"

"Actually," Elijah replied, "I wasn't planning on telling you at all. Because she's my wife and not yours, meaning that it's not any of your business what happens to her. Good day, Niklaus."


	22. Story Of My Life

Elijah started to close the door but Klaus stuck his foot in it. "Let me in, Elijah."

"I told you no, Niklaus," Elijah repeated. "I promise I will tell you when she recovers but for now I think it would be best if you left her alone."

"How is she supposed to recover if she doesn't know all of her past?" Klaus asked. "I know that if it's you telling her, you'll conveniently leave all my past with her out so you can keep her all to yourself and pretend that her history with me didn't exist. But she already knows about Roxanne, Adrian, and Lucy so there's no point in trying to hide them."

"And I wouldn't do that," Elijah said. "I'll tell her about them in time."

Suddenly, Klaus' fist shot out and landed squarely in Elijah's face, knocking him against a table in the doorway with a vase on it that went crashing to the floor. When Elijah was able to get to his feet, he and Klaus continued to tussle until they heard a sharp voice call out, "What is going on out here?" They both paused and looked at the speaker. Selina was frowning at both of them, her arms crossed over her chest. "Tell me what's going on," she commanded. "Now. What could possibly drive two men who should be mature enough to use words to handle differences to beat each other senseless?"

"It's you," Klaus told her quietly. "We're fighting about you."

Selina groaned. "_Me_? Why me? What's so great about me that it makes you want to fight your own brother over me?"

Elijah gave her a surprised look. "How do you know he's my brother?" He asked.

Selina shrugged. "It was just a good guess. I was right?"

"It's kind of a long story," Klaus told her. "And I just came to tell it to you. That's all. I didn't come to cause trouble, despite the fact that that's what my brother seems to think."

Selina turned her head and looked at Elijah. He seemed really angry. "All right," she said, coming farther into the room and standing over the brothers. "Why don't we just all step away from each other, take deep breaths, and calm down, all right?"

Elijah gave Klaus one last deep glare before pushing him aside and struggling to get off the floor. Selina gave him a hand to help him up. She was tempted to help Klaus too, but given the look on Elijah's face, she figured she'd better not. After they were both standing up and on opposite sides of the room, Selina made her way toward Klaus despite the fact that that made Elijah's hands tighten into fists and a vein in his temple throb. "I think you better go," she told Klaus. "That might be best, at least until Elijah calms down."

"Fine," Klaus nodded. "I'll leave. But I promise you that I didn't come to cause trouble."

"I know," Selina nodded. "And I believe you, but I just...I want to avoid trouble where I can."

"All right," Klaus told her. "Elijah can tell you your past. Just keep in mind that what he tells you could be an adaptation of what really happened. He'll tell you something, but it might not necessarily be the complete truth."

"All right," Selina nodded. "Goodbye." Klaus left and when the door closed, Selina turned around and strode back over to Elijah. "You can breathe now," she told him. "Your brother is gone."

"I know he's gone," Elijah told her. "And I'm going to do my damndest to make sure he doesn't come back."

"Why?" Selina asked. "What's the problem with your brother being here? Tell me. If it involves me, I think I deserve to know. If you won't let him tell me, _you _should."

"Well," Elijah took a deep breath, "It seems like a pattern my brother and I have had over the years where, despite our best efforts to avoid it, we both end up having feelings for the same woman. When we were humans, it was a girl named Tatia Petrova, later her descendent Katerina, and now you."

"Me?" Selina asked, looking shocked. "I-how? I watched Katherine screw Damon and Stefan around and I promised myself I would _never_ be like her!"

"It's not exactly your fault," Elijah assured her. "At various times, depending on the situation, my brother and I have both taken you from one another. You've never intentionally led either of us on for your own amusement, although I can't say we haven't both been frustrated when seeing you with the other brother."

"Well, thanks," Selina told him. "That's very reassuring. Who did I meet first? You, or your brother?"

"Me, technically," Elijah replied. "When you were sixteen and human, I came to visit you at your family's house. The goal of my visit was to learn more about your human life, and I'd come from the future (with a little help from your granddaughter Lenora) to do it. Of course, after awhile, I had to go back to my own time so you could go on and have your triumphs and tragedies and not mess up the present. But because you were already attached to me, I had to compel you to forget we'd ever met, and then later, when we met again in the '20s, you scorned me, presumably because I abandoned you, and took up with my brother instead."

"And how did that work out?" Selina asked. "Did I love him?"

"It's difficult to describe what your relationship with him was like at that point," Elijah told her. "You were a very angry woman then, and having been abandoned by one man too many, love was not something you were looking for. You were fond of killing, and my brother appealed to you because he encouraged it. Killing and spending time in bed were basically the two things you two did. But as the twenties went on, I began to notice a change in you. You stopped enjoying killing and started expressing the desire to have something different in your life, perhaps to have another go at a substantial relationship with another person. You asked me to help you, and I did. It was a good thing, too, because your string of murders had caught my father's attention and takes it upon himself to kill vampires who murder too much and risk exposing the species."

"And would you say I did that in the '20s?" Selina asked. "I couldn't have been_ that _bad."

"You had a nickname," Elijah replied wryly. "You were called Lonely Heart, and you were quite notorious."

"Wow," Selina winced. "Thanks for helping me get better."

Elijah inclined his head. "You're welcome. I also stopped my father from killing you by getting you on a boat out of Paris and back to America, where, thanks to the fact that you led a quiet life, my father lost interest in you."

"You saved me from your father?" Selina asked in surprise. "Well, thanks again."

"You're welcome," Elijah replied. "It was no small thing, my doing that. My father and I were working together to kill the people he viewed as doing wrong and he's never quite forgiven me for helping you get away."

"Well, gee, I'm just screwing up your relationships with everyone, aren't I?" Selina asked. "Your brother, your father...does your mother hate me too? And what about Klaus? Did he come with me to America?"

Elijah heaved a big sigh. "No," he said finally. "Sadly not. You had originally had plans to leave with him and my sister by train to Germany so they could get away from my father too, but when you realized that being with my brother would mean an eternity on the run from my father who was chasing Niklaus and Anna as well, you chose to end things with my brother and got on the boat instead. You found him and apologized several years later, but things were still so raw even then that instead of accepting your apology, he just wiped your memory of all the times you had together and sent you away."

"What is it with you all and wiping my memory?" Selina asked in exasperation. "It's a miracle that I know anything about my life at all!" She paused. "I take it that's not the end."

"No," Elijah shook his head. "The next time we found you was in 1969. You were famous after writing a book then, do you remember that? Something about female empowerment and how men are unnecessary?"

"Yeah, I remember that," Selina nodded. "Vaguely, but I do."

"Klaus was still wanting revenge against you, so, knowing that you and I had been close, asked me to come and try to seduce you while he recorded the whole thing as a way to make your whole book seem like a sham. When I saw you again, and we got into bed, my feelings were genuine, but when you saw Klaus and his recording device, you thought I was party to his trick too. I didn't like you thinking ill of me, so..."

"Let me guess," Selina replied dryly. "You wiped my memory."

"Yes, and I've always regretted it," Elijah told her. "It was cowardly and foolish of me to do that to you."

"Well, thank you for the apology," Selina replied.

"And then some time after _that_," Elijah continued, "My brother, who is part werewolf, decided to activate that side of him, but it was more difficult because my mother and other magical powers that be had forced his werewolf side into hibernation and my family ostracized him for what he was. Over the years, that gave my brother something of a complex and he decided that if he couldn't have his family be loyal to him, he would create another group of beings who would be. He wanted to create his army in both possible ways: through siring hybrids using blood, and through fathering children with a suitable mate, who would also become a hybrid like him after going through the ritual at his side. You were not like us. As a created vampire, you were unable to bear children, but after the ritual, after coming in contact with magic created by the witch who created werewolves (she also happened to be an ancient fertility goddess), you were able to bear children, so not only did my brother create armies of hybrids with his blood, he also fathered three hybrid children with you: Adrian, Roxanne, and Lucy. And those children have borne hybrid children and so on and so forth."

"Why did he pick _me_ to bear his children?" Selina asked. "Was it to punish me cause he was still mad that I left him?"

"I would say that it was," Elijah nodded. "Your relationship with him was very tempestuous. You fought a lot and he even broke all your limbs and pushed you down a flight of stairs once."

"Oh, my god, what a psycho," Selina replied, eyes wide.

"Yes," Elijah nodded, putting his arms around her. "He even cheated on you and got another woman pregnant. That's when you left him and started moving around. You lived with Damon for awhile, and after you bore your and Klaus' youngest daughter Lucy, the two of you moved in with me. I'm more of a father to her than Niklaus ever was."

"So I moved in with you and everything between us just came back?" Selina asked.

"Oh, fighting it was so hard a lot of the time," Elijah said. "Once, while you were recovering from your broken limbs (this time bestowed upon you by my angry mother), you were very weak and could hardly do a thing by yourself. One day, I had to bathe you because no woman was available."

"I bet you enjoyed that," Selina grinned.

"I took no enjoyment in being attracted to a woman who was still married to my brother," Elijah told her seriously. "It was incredibly difficult undressing you and bathing you all the while keeping my feelings in check."

"So you mean we didn't do it in the tub?" Selina asked.

"Of course not!" Elijah replied firmly. "You may have been naked, but I wore bathing trunks the whole time. Only once did I lose my composure and kiss you."

"Just once?" Selina asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Okay, twice," Elijah admitted. "But that was all."

"And then Klaus and I divorced," Selina said.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "And you and I married, and though there have been a few bumps in the road, including a brief divorce after a fight we had so that we had to marry for a second time, things have mostly been very good between us."

"If you and I are so solid, then why are you so afraid of having your brother near me?" Selina asked. "There has to be a good reason."

"It's some werewolf thing that the two of you have," Elijah said. "If you get too close to one another, it causes you to be very physical, and I hope you can appreciate why I don't like that."

Selina nodded. "I suppose I can appreciate it," she said. "But right now, that means nothing to me. All I know now is that I love you and I don't want to be with anyone else."

"I feel the same way," Elijah told her. "Now that we've dealt with that, what do you think we should do now?"

"Let's think about getting our other kids back," Selina said. "I know it might be hard for them to see me when I don't know who they are, but my memory isn't coming back any time soon and we can't keep them away forever."

* * *

"It was the weirdest thing," Felicity told Lenora as she came back into Lenora and James' house. "I zapped myself over to New Orleans you know, just to see if I could do anything for people down there and they said they have no use for me anymore, that someone else had taken my place. I wonder how _that_ happened?" She glared at her sister.

"What?" Lenora asked. "Do you think _I _had anything to do with that?"

"I don't know," Felicity said huffily. "But it wouldn't surprise me if you did. Stefan probably talked you into it because he's always said that the whole venture is too dangerous for me."

"He could be right," Lenora replied. "I know you want to help, but do you really have any idea of what you're getting into?"

Hearing this, Felicity strode away from her sister and right into Stefan's room, giving him a good hard slap across the face. "I hope that hurt!" She cried angrily. "How _dare _you! Did you do something to make all the witches hate me? What was it?"

"Well, hello to you too," Stefan greeted her dryly, rubbing his jaw. "Don't you know it's nicer to use words when you have a problem with someone?"

Felicity just laughed at this. When she calmed down, she said in her deadliest voice, "What made you think you had the right to interfere with my life and make it so I couldn't help the witches?"

"I just didn't want to see you get hurt, but apparently I shouldn't have made the effort!" Stefan shot back.

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "You shouldn't have. You should have minded your own business and left me the fuck alone!"

"Well, I will from now on!" Stefan replied, getting up. "Lesson learned. I'm going now. You're on your own."

"Good!" Felicity shouted at his retreating back. "I never needed your help anyway. I only let you come to be polite!"

Scoffing, Stefan slammed the bedroom door, gave Lenora and James a very curt goodbye, and made his way toward the front door.

"Wait just a minute, Stefan," Damon said, coming up behind him. "What's going on?"

"I'm leaving," Stefan said. "That's what's going on. Apparently, I'm not wanted here and that's just fine with me." He paused and looked at his brother. "Why don't you come with me? I'd hate to have to drink alone."

"Just a minute," Damon told him. He went back and found Lucy. "Would it be all right if I left without you, Cookie Monster?" He asked. "Stefan and Felicity have apparently had some sort of fight, and now he's leaving and wants me to come with."

"Oh, all right," Lucy told him. "You go and help your brother through his thing and I'll see what I can get out of Felicity."

"Good idea," Damon said, and then he and Stefan went in search of the portal that would send them home.

"So are you gonna go back to Klaus'?" Damon asked when they reached Damon and Lucy's house and came out the other side of the portal."Or do you want to stay here?"

"I'll have to stay here, won't I?" Stefan said. "I can't go back to Klaus' without Felicity. He'll skin me alive." He sat on the sofa and Damon went to get them both beers.

"So what caused this fight of yours?" Damon asked. "Did you get more involved in her business than she liked? I know you have a tendency to do that."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "Coming from the champion of being way too protective of his girlfriends, I'd say that's rich."

"When I do it, I mean well," Damon replied, and took a swig of beer.

"I meant well too!" Stefan said. "She was consorting with a bunch of witches who may or may not want to kill her and if she dies, I die too. I had my reasons for interfering in her stuff, but she was just too stupid to appreciate it."

"And now, despite the fear you have of your imminent death by Klaus, you have abandoned Felicity," Damon said. "Interesting. I wouldn't have expected that."

"Well, she is a lot tougher than he gives her credit for," Stefan said. "She can handle herself. She told me as much. And I can always find myself another woman, can't I? Felicity isn't the only one around."

Damon grinned and playfully punched Stefan on the arm. "That's the spirit, brother! Don't waste time wallowing on one girl when there are so many others around. I, of course, will not be getting involved with your night out because I have Lucy and I love her, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time."

"Do you miss it?" Stefan asked.

"Miss what?" Damon replied.

"Miss just going to bars and picking up a different woman every night?" Stefan asked. "You were really good at that once upon a time."

"Well, once upon a time, I didn't have Lucy," Damon said. "Lucy is a much higher quality woman than the women I used to pick up at bars or the tavern."

"She's also in complete control of your life," Stefan said. "Don't you _ever_ do anything by yourself anymore?"

"Yeah," Damon nodded. "I left her to come help you through this, didn't I?"

At this, Stefan lapsed into silence, then went to get his address book and think about which woman in it would be taking Felicity's place in his bed that night.

* * *

"Does Mother really have amnesia?" Gregory asked Elijah when he and Katherine showed up at the house one day.

"I told you she did," Elijah replied. "Awhile ago, when it first happened."

"Oh, well, I guess it really didn't register then." He strode into the house and Katherine followed. Selina looked up at both of them and gasped at the sight of Katherine. "What are you doing in my house?" She asked. "Haven't you ruined my life enough?" She looked worriedly at Gregory. "You look like Elijah. You're probably one of my kids. Get away from her. She's evil!"

"Well, your son is not exactly an angel himself," Katherine replied dryly. "And he's an adult. He can date whomever he wants. And he picked me." She paused. "Actually, we're married now."

Selina's eyes widened and she gave Gregory a pained look. "You _married_ her? Why would you _do _that?"

"Because if I hadn't, Grandfather would have killed her," Gregory replied. "And how come you remember her but not me?"

"Cause," Selina replied. "Apparently, I have no memories of anything that has to do with your father or his siblings, but I remember stuff other than that."

"What luck," Katherine said.

"You really look like your father," Selina said to Gregory. "You're very handsome, both of you."

"Well, thank you," Gregory replied, flushing a little. "What's been going on around here?"

"Your father's brother Klaus showed up awhile back," Selina said. "And apparently, since Klaus and I were in a relationship before, having him around made your father very testy."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "Yes it does." Then he sat down. "So Grandfather really took away your memories?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I mean, I know stuff from my life because your father has told it all to me, but I don't actually remember any of it. And now, he's gone to get your other brothers and sisters to bring them home too."

"Every single one of them?" Gregory asked in surprise. "I'm impressed you're ready to take on all that at once."

"Oh, I'm sure it won't be so bad," Selina told him. "I'm not worried. So, how's married life treating you."

"He's forcing me to learn how to use the kitchen," Katherine replied, giving Selina a look. "Just because you cook, he expects me to. Thanks a lot for that."

"You know how to make some things," Gregory said. "And I've enjoyed them immensely."

"Really?" Selina asked. "What do you know how to make?"

"Whipped cream," Katherine replied. "And several types of frosting."

"To put on cakes?" Selina asked.

"Not on cakes," Katherine shook her head. "On each other. That's why Gregory enjoys it so much."

Gregory reddened. "Katherine, what did we say about keeping certain things like our bedroom activities private?"

"I just wanted to see the horrified look on your mother's face," Katherine sighed. "But apparently, I'm not gonna get it." Selina's face was now neutral. "I'm just glad you two are happy," she said through her teeth, doing her best not to give Katherine the overreaction that she wanted.

"I wouldn't say we're happy," Gregory replied quickly. "We're useful to each other. It's a satisfactory arrangement."

"Let me guess what sort of arrangement," Selina said. "She gives you sex and you give her money."

"I told you that we're married now!" Gregory said to his mother in exasperation. He was clutching the table tightly so he wouldn't hit something. "And I'm surprised you're talking about her that way, seeing as how you hate it when Grandfather views you the same way."

"Don't compare her to me!" Selina said. "I am a good person who fell on hard times and then was saved from them by your father. _She_, on the other hand," Selina's hand shook as she gestured at Katherine. "She's just used boy after boy over the centuries without a care in the world who she hurt. But I suppose as long as she knows you're keeping her safe from death at the hands of your grandfather and you have sex with her, she won't treat you in the same appalling way she's treated everyone else in her life. I hope the two of you are very happy." She then strode out of the room without another word.

Once she was gone, Gregory ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. "Well, that didn't go as well as I'd hoped."

"I'm not surprised," Katherine said. "Your mother never _did_ like losing men to me. You're no different."

"Maybe we should give her time to calm down before we come back again," Gregory replied as he ushered Katherine through the front door and out to his car. "I doubt she'll miss us. Not with all my other siblings coming home soon."


	23. No Life Without Love

"So," Laura said to Edward as they got out of her car and headed toward school. "It's science fair day today. Should I be nervous?"

"No," Edward shook his head. "Your project is great. It will get you second place for sure."

"Second place?" Laura asked. "You talk like that's a good thing. Why would I want second place? I want first."

"Well," Edward sighed. "Not to discourage you, but there's a kid named Freddie Elstein who always gets first place. Always. His projects are that good. So second is a perfectly respectable place, especially for a first time entrant such as yourself."

"What do you think my dad will say if I get second?" Laura asked. "He'll be really disappointed!"

"Why?" Edward asked. "I could see him being disappointed when you were capable of doing good schoolwork and chose not to, but he knows how hard you worked on this, so he won't be disappointed."

"You don't know my dad," Laura told him. "He's good at everything and he expects us to be too."

"Didn't he already give you a talk where he said he loved you no matter what?" Edward asked. "He knows science is not your strong point, so I think that even if you just get a participant ribbon, he'll be happy that you at least tried. You know what I think? I think the person who will be disappointed if you get second is you, not your dad. You have high expectations for yourself, and that's good. But sometimes, you just have to relax and let things happen."

"But we worked so hard on this!" Laura cried. "If I'm gonna put that much effort into something, I better at least place. That's the only way all the missed days at the mall will be worth it."

"Well, good luck," Edward told her. "I know in my gut you'll do well. You had me to help you after all."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. Because it was so true, and probably the only reason why she _would_ get any awards if she did, she didn't think it was right to scold him for his self-absorption. "You'll be there, won't you?"

"Of course," Edward nodded. "You know I will."

"I'm sorry you didn't get to make your own project this year because you were so busy helping me," Laura apologized.

Edward shrugged. "It doesn't matter. The fact that it came out so well is enough for me. And when you win, we can consider it a victory for both of us."

"What if we don't even place?" Laura asked nervously.

"Trust me, you'll place," Edward said. "Now stop dawdling and take your project inside." When she hesitated, he put a hand in the center of her back and marched her into school.

* * *

"So," Elijah said to Laura when he found her hanging up her bag after school. "How did the science fair go?"

"I got second place," Laura said. Elijah opened his mouth, but Laura rushed ahead. "But don't be too mad at me because Edward said that the same guy wins every year and that second place is a real honor, especially since I'm new. I tried my best and that should be good enough for you!" She paused and took a breath, eying Elijah nervously.

"I'm proud of you," Elijah told her finally. "I don't know what else to say. I'm proud of you and I have no intention of being upset."

"_Really_?" Laura asked in surprise.

"Really," Elijah replied, giving her a hug. He took her ribbon and put it next to Gregory and Colin's awards so that everyone could see it. "There," he said, looking at it fondly. "It looks nice there, don't you think? Now, when the triplets get awards, we'll have something to display from everyone and I like that idea." He grinned at Laura. "Don't you?"

"Yeah," Laura grinned. "I think I do."

Later that night, Edward came into Laura's room. "So what did your father say about your ribbon?"

"He said he was proud of me and he didn't get mad," Laura replied.

"See?" Edward said. "I told you that would happen."

"Yeah, well, you deserve the ribbon more than I do," Laura said. "The project was your idea."

"Why are you having such trouble accepting praise that you deserve?" Edward asked her. "Is it because you don't feel you deserve to be smart, or what?"

Laura sighed. "This might be the only science project I ever do," she said. "To me, people who deserve prizes are the ones who dedicate themselves to hours of work, not someone who does it once and then is done."

"How many hours at the mall did you miss?" Edward asked.

"A lot," Laura replied.

"How many outings to Speedy Burger did you have to forgo?" Edward asked.

"A lot," Laura said.

"And yet, you did this project anyway, in spite of all you had to miss out on." He put an arm around her. "I'd say you're pretty dedicated."

Laura sighed. "I don't know if I believe you entirely, but thanks. And for some reason, this victory has given me a new view of myself. I think one of the first things I'm gonna do is confess about my tongue stud to Mom and then have her get me to a doctor so it can get taken out."

"Really?" Edward asked in surprise. "Is it because your father didn't give you the reaction about it that you were hoping for?"

"Well, yeah, and getting praised by him for something I did well on is a lot better than being scolded by him for something I did for the express purpose of stirring him up," Laura finished.

Edward looked at the clock in Laura's room. "I think I'll be going to bed now. You?"

Laura nodded. "I think so, but before you go, can you come here a second?"

"Sure," Edward nodded, coming toward her. "What is it?"

Laura hesitated briefly, then gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Sweet dreams," she told him.

* * *

"You know how the whole reason why we had to get married was because I killed too many people and you didn't want your grandfather to kill me?" Katherine asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "What about it?"

"What do you think your grandfather would do if _you_ killed a bunch of people? Do you think he'd turn a blind eye or something because you're his grandson?"

"I doubt it," Gregory replied. "He never dwells on sentiment. I mean, my father was his favorite until he felt Father chose Mother over him and then...he got as good as disinherited. If I were to lose control and have a body count, I suppose I'd have a price on my head just like everyone else. Not that we have to worry about that because I have no intention of killing so much that it would attract attention. I'm too smart for that."

"Yes, of course," Katherine replied dryly. "Even with your crazy mother's blood running through your veins, of course there will be absolutely _no_ chance of you losing control and just going on a killing spree. That will never happen."

"No, it won't," Gregory agreed. "It's enough work to keep you out of trouble. Adding myself in to the mix would just be stupid."

"What if I told you it would be hot to watch you kill people?" Katherine asked. "Would you do it then?" She came up behind him and started running her fingers through his longish brown hair.

Gregory reached up to remove her hand, but instead paused when his hand was on top of hers and kept it there. "You know I would probably be foolish enough to do that because of the hold you have over me," he told her. "Is that what you want?"

"I don't know," Katherine shrugged. "Could be."

Gregory stood up so that he towered over her and then she slowly backed away from him. "You know," he said. "If I were to kill strictly for your pleasure and then get caught, that _would_ make the protection you get from me moot. The second Grandfather was finished with me, he'd come after the girl who ruined me, which would be you. And do you think you could handle that?"

"I could," Katherine nodded. "I ran from your uncle for years. Running from your grandfather would be just like old times."

"But why would you want to run when you could stay here comfortably?" Gregory asked. "I really want to know."

"All right," Katherine nodded. "Get me a bottle of wine, let me drink it, and then I'll tell you.

"Oh, come on," Gregory told her, laughing a little. "Is it really that bad?"

All she did was glare at him. "Wine," she said through her teeth. _"Now._"

"Okay, okay," Gregory replied. He went to get a bottle of red wine from the cabinet and popped it open before setting it down in front of her. "You aren't gonna chill it?" She asked.

"I didn't think you would care," Gregory replied.

"You're right," Katherine nodded, picking up the bottle and taking a swig. "I don't."

Gregory watched her drink and when she had half the bottle down, he asked her again. "Why would you want to spend your existence being on the run from my grandfather when you could have a comfortable, nice home here with me?"

"Homes suck," Katherine told him. "If you could call the little shack I grew up in a home," She hiccuped. "Sorry about that." She took up the bottle and drank some more.

"Were your parents bad to you?" Gregory asked. "Did they hurt you?"

"My mother was good to me," Katherine said. "I loved her. My father was not the affectionate type, and when I got pregnant,_ boy _was he pissed." She grinned. "It got me in trouble but getting that way was fun." She then burst out laughing and waved the half full bottle around wildly. Gregory quickly steadied it so it wouldn't spill and then she frowned and drank the rest of it. Once the bottle was empty, she eyed him again. "What did your father do when he found out you were pregnant?" He asked.

"He hurt me," Katherine said. "It would have been hard enough for me to miscarry, but my mother stopped him. She was nice. We moved away because my father didn't want the neighbors to know of my shame, and once the baby was born, she was taken away from me." Katherine choked up. "I asked my father to let me hold her at least once, but he just took her away and I never saw her again." She began to cry in earnest and Gregory took her in his arms. "It's all right," he said, holding her against himself and running his fingers through her hair. "Everything will be all right. I'm here for you."

"And then after the baby got taken away," Katherine continued, tears and mucus running down her face, "Father ordered me to leave the family. Even leave the country! I had to start my life all over again, completely alone."

"Where did you go?" Gregory asked, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiping the mucus and tears off her face.

"Here and there," Katherine replied. "Lots of places. Nothing really happened until I ended up in England. I made the acquaintance of this man Trevor, and I thought for the first time in awhile, I'd found someone I could trust. And then one day, he says, 'I have to go to a friend's birthday party, do you want to come with me?' And I was so desperate for company that I said, 'Sure, of course, why not?' But that was a bad decision."

"Why?" Gregory asked. "What the hell kind of birthday party was it?"

Katherine sighed and cuddled up against him even more. "It was your uncle's," she said. "I met your father there, and your uncle, and even though your father and I had a connection, your Uncle fought harder for me, although to this day, I have no idea why. He never seemed interested in me at all. At least not as strongly as your father was. But all that came crashing down when I found out that all they wanted from me was to kill me so your uncle could become a true hybrid. I sure as hell wasn't gonna take that bullet, so I ran. For years and years, I ran, knowing that if I stopped, either your father or your uncle would catch me and kill me. Finally, about 1509, after almost twenty years of running, I happened to meet a warlock. I told him my problem and he told me he could help. He said that if I found him a girl, he would do the same sort of magic on her that had been done to my family line, so that another person could be created for your uncle to use in his ritual. I figured that I would have a better chance of staying alive if I took him up on his offer, so I kidnapped the daughter of my best friend Stella and handed her over. The spell was done, and I was saved."

"You kidnapped and doomed an innocent girl to misery just to keep yourself alive?" Gregory asked, his mouth twisted in distaste. "That's disgusting!"

"Be disgusted all you want," Katherine told him, her crying momentarily ceasing. "But if I hadn't done what I did, you wouldn't exist. Your mother is a descendent of that girl, and your mother ended up being the one that was used in the sacrifice. So, in that case, you're welcome."

"I think I liked you better when you were crying," Gregory said. "You don't have to stop on my account." He paused. "It couldn't have been easy living all that time without having anyone around to love you."

"Oh, no," Katherine shook her head. "You're just trying to make me cry again and it won't work!"

Gregory came toward her. "There must've been nights where you lay away thinking about how lonely you were. Is that true?"

"Maybe," Katherine nodded. "But being lonely is a small price to pay if it keeps you alive."

"You know what I think, Katerina?" Gregory told her. "I don't think life is worth living if a person doesn't have love. Life is hard enough as it is without having to be alone too." He held out his arms. "Don't you agree?"

This was too much for Katherine. The floodgates burst open, she resumed sobbing, and threw herself into Gregory's arms. "I told your father that once, you know," she said. "He didn't believe a word of it."

"I know," Gregory nodded and held her tight. "But I do, and I promise you that if you can just find it in yourself to trust me, I'll make sure you're never lonely again."

* * *

Damon had been sleeping on the sofa, but he woke up and watched with bleary eyes as yet another girl did a less than subtle job of sneaking out of the house. Once she was gone, he threw the covers aside and strode into Stefan's room. "Was she any good?" He asked. "The girl who just left, I mean?"

Stefan nodded. "She was all right, I guess. Why do you feel you need to sleep on the sofa? It's your house. Sleep in a bed!"

"But if I slept in a bed, I'd miss the spectacle of your 'dates' doing a less than subtle job of sneaking out," Damon replied. "And it's so entertaining." He paused. "I admire you for being able to go through so many."

"It's because I've had better," Stefan told him. "I make it clear from the beginning that I'm not wanting anything serious, and if they think of hanging around cause they believe that will be more likely to get them commitment out of me, I'll kill them. That makes them leave pretty fast in the morning."

Damon scoffed. "Why don't you just admit that you miss Felicity and go back to her?"

"She told me she didn't want me around," Stefan replied curtly. "And who am I to ignore a command from her highness?"

"You _should_ ignore it," Damon said. "New Orleans is a big city, and she doesn't own it. The two of you can be in separate places and have fun. She probably won't even know you're there."

"Fine," Stefan told him. "It's better than hanging around here."

They were on a plane back to New Orleans a few hours later. When they landed, they dropped their stuff off at a hotel and went to Damon's hangout, a bar near a brothel that was designed to be a replica of the Moulin Rouge. Soft jazz was playing, and the second they entered the place, a group of young men surrounded them, saying that they hadn't seen Damon in a long time. They took a seat at a table in the far corner and chatted animatedly until a sharp, clear voice cut their chatter off.

"Sorry to ruin the fun, boys," Felicity said to them. "But some of us came here to hear the music. Not you."

"Well, well, well," Stefan said. "Look who's here. Of all the bars in all the towns in all the world, you walk into mine."

"I don't see your name on it," Felicity replied. "And I was here first."

"Anyone can come in if they want to," Stefan told her. "Were we offending you somehow? Is that why you're in such a snit?"

Felicity smirked and ran her finger down his cheek. "It would take more than a baby face like yours to offend me. Remember, between the two of us, it's me who's the grown up."

"Oh, yeah right," Stefan said, chasing after her. "What do you know?"

"How does he know her?" one of the guys at the table asked Damon.

"It's complicated," Damon told him. "On-again, off-again girlfriend."

"What are the odds that you'd show up here at the exact spot I was?" Felicity asked. "Did you miss me? Did you have me tracked somehow?"

"Get over yourself," Stefan said. "I just came to have some fun and you happened to be here. Nothing wrong with that."

"What, you couldn't have fun at home?" Felicity asked. "That's a surprise. Have all other girls rejected you? Am I the only one you have left?"

He was about to make some sarcastic reply, but then he looked her over. She was wearing a brief black leather miniskirt, boots over fishnet tights and a tight fitting midriff-baring top. "You look nice," He complimented. "Are you on a break from your job at the brothel?"

"I dress like this for the free drinks," Felicity told him. "It's a lot less suspicious than using my powers. They don't really go for that around here. So, you wanna buy me a drink?" She looked hopeful.

"If you buy me one," Stefan replied. "I suppose it's only fair."

They brought each other drinks and as they sat at the bar, Damon got up and came behind Stefan. "if you're good here, I'm gonna go," he said. "I have other places to go and people to catch up with."

Stefan watched him go and then turned back to Felicity. "I better go too," he said.

"So soon?" Felicity asked. "You're not even drunk yet!"

"Give me a reason to stay," Stefan told her.

"Okay," Felicity agreed. She put her arms around him and kissed him, and the drink he was holding fell to the floor, the glass shattering. Felicity picked up a shard held it up.

"Don't you dare," Stefan whispered firmly.

"Relax," Felicity whispered. "I won't. Not again. I was gonna let you taste some of my blood, but if you don't want to, I suppose there are other ways to have fun."

"Like what?" Stefan asked as she let the glass shard join the others on the floor. Felicity looked around and spied a lonely, pretty girl at a table in the corner. "Let's go talk to her," she said. "She looks nice."

Not knowing what Felicity was up to, Stefan followed her. She and the girl started up a conversation. The girl was human and here for college. With a grin, Felicity invited her to her car, and gestured for Stefan to follow. He went behind the girls and they all crammed into the backseat of Felicity's car, with the girl in the middle and Felicity and Stefan on either side. After some more small talk to put the girl at ease, they both began drinking from her until her body was drained of blood.

"That was just..._wow_," Felicity gasped as she brought her head up from the body.

"Just a minute," Stefan said. "You still have some blood on your mouth. Come here." Leaning over the body, Felicity let Stefan hold her as he licked the blood off her mouth. "There you go," he said. "Much better."

"What do you think we should do with the body?" Felicity asked.

"Let's put it in her car and then dump the car in a river that's nearby here," Stefan suggested. "That won't be difficult."

Felicity agreed and they took the girl's body to her car, put it in the trunk, and then dumped it in the river. They watched as it sank and then Felicity took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "That was fun," she said. "Now what do you say we go back for my car and make a little visit to your hotel for the night?"

Stefan shook his head. "Damon's there. We wouldn't have privacy. But I know a nice little place not too far from here where we can go and not be disturbed at all."

* * *

The drive to the hotel was a quick one. They a room and once they were inside, proceeded to undress each other. As Stefan ran his lips down Felicity's neck and his hands roamed over her body, she gasped. "Oh, god," she breathed. "Oh, yes."

They finally reached the bed and rolled around it for awhile, making quite a racket. Eventually, they went off the bed and onto the floor, but Felicity still clung tightly to Stefan, letting out a shriek as he pushed into her again and again. Finally, a languid warmth pervaded her body. The windows were open and the bright moon shone in the night. "That's pretty," she whispered, gazing at it. Stefan cupped her chin in his hand and brought it to face him. "So are you," he said.

Felicity flushed. "I bet you say that to every girl who helps you commit and conceal murder."

Stefan grinned. "I do, but will you accept the compliment anyway?"


	24. Fighting The Law

"Interesting story in the news today," Helene said at breakfast the next morning.

"Oh, yeah?" Felicity asked, her heart thudding. Helping Stefan commit that murder had seemed like a good idea last night, but now, in the daylight, she wasn't so sure. "What happened?"

"They found a body locked inside a car in the river near the Firefly bar," Helene replied. "Young girl, completely drained of blood." She looked at Adrian. "Did you have anything to do with that?"

"No," Adrian shook his head. "I have more important things to do than hang around that side of town. It's a waste of time when I've got witches to corral."

"Oh, all right," Helene sighed. "I suppose I believe you." She looked at Felicity. "Are you all right?" She asked. "You seem tense."

"No," Felicity shook her head. "I'm not tense. I'm fine."

But Adrian was grinning. "It was you, wasn't it?" He said.

"What?" Felicity giggled nervously. "No!"

"We're not gonna yell at you," Adrian promised, looking pointedly at Helene. "Are we?"

"No," Helene sighed. "I guess not."

"All right," Felicity sighed. "It was me. I did it."

"Good," Adrian nodded. "Now that we've got that cleared up, can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Let me guess," Felicity said. "Don't kill people?"

"No," Adrian shook his head. "Don't kill people in an obvious vampiric way and leave the body in one piece. I can't believe my father never taught you that!"

"Well, he and your mother never exactly encouraged me to just go out and kill people willy nilly either!" Felicity shot back. "Is that what you would have done if I'd been raised by you?"

"Probably," Helene scoffed. "It's what he did with your sister."

"I didn't!" Adrian shook his head. "I just taught her to hunt because that's all you'd let me do! Maybe if you'd gotten your head out of your ass, faced reality and let me do more, we wouldn't _be_ in situations like this!"

"I'm sorry!" Felicity shouted. "I'm sorry I screwed up, I'm sorry I don't know the proper way to dispose of bodies after you kill people, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She ran in the direction of her room, sobbing, just as Stefan came into the house.

"What's wrong with Felicity?" He asked.

"There was a story in the news today about a car and a body being pulled from the river," Adrian told Stefan. "According to Felicity, you and she had something to do with that. Why did you leave the body in one piece? Why did you think you could finish it off in such a clumsy way?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Stefan told him. "And it's not like you never made any mistakes while you were drunk."

"True," Adrian nodded. "Waking up with a ring on my finger was probably the worst of them. Not that I had a choice in that or anything."

"Oh, please," Helene replied. "You wanted to get married. Don't deny it."

"Yeah, I did!" Adrian nodded. "But I would have preferred to have it happen when I wasn't drunk! How hard would that have been? That was just another example of you making decisions without asking me first. I'm not the only one who's ever done it!"

Stefan watched them bicker for a few more seconds and then went in to Felicity's room. "Helene and Adrian sure know how to fight," he said.

"Yeah," Felicity sniffled. "Makes me glad I wasn't raised by them. Think about how screwed up I would have been." She paused. "What do you think's gonna happen when the police get done analyzing the body? Do you think they're gonna show up at the front door screaming 'Vampire'!"

"I don't think that will happen necessarily," Stefan told her. "You're not the only vampire around here. And we can take care of human police officers pretty easily."

"You don't mean kill them, do you?" Felicity asked, eyes wide. "I think we've been down that road enough for awhile."

"While I would prefer to kill them," Stefan told her, "I suppose I could stand just compelling them to go away this once. Or, I could compel them to shoot themselves dead. That would be easy."

"It's also incredibly barbaric," Felicity replied.

"Well, what do you want me to do when the policemen come?" Stefan asked. "I assume by the way that you're going on and on about it that you want me to take some sort of action if they show up? What's the point in asking me if you're gonna nitpick about my methods?!"

"I didn't ask you to do anything about them!" Felicity shot back. "I was just asking for your opinion on the situation, which is different. I'm perfectly capable of handling stuff like that myself, especially since it was your genius idea that got us in trouble in the first place! I've already got Adrian and Helene yelling at me, I don't need that from you too!"

Stefan opened his mouth to respond, but she strode out of the room before he could say anything.

* * *

They didn't talk much after that, but one morning, the doorbell rang. Felicity went to answer it and found a police officer on the other side. "Yes?" She asked sweetly. "May I help you?"

"Sorry to disturb you," the police officer replied. "But I'm looking for information about a body. It was in a car that went into a lake not far from here. Do you know anything about that?"

"Not a thing," Felicity replied with a grin. "But if you'll wait a second, I'll go find someone who does know. And feel free to come in and have a seat."

The officer sat down and Felicity ran into Stefan's room. "A police officer is in the living room," she said. "He wants information about the body. Go tell him something."

"I thought you were gonna take care of any police related things," Stefan smirked. "Are you getting cold feet about it now?"

"Well, no!" Felicity shook her head. "It's just that I thought-"

"It's all right," Stefan told her. "No need to explain. It's obvious little Felicity is too scared to handle the big scary police officer by herself."

"I'm not scared!" She cried and grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him from his room to the living room. "Sit there!" She cried and pushed him backwards onto the carpet.

"Is this the young man you said knew something about the murders?" The officer asked her.

"Yep," Felicity nodded. "That's him!"

The police officer proceeded to question Stefan for a short while until suddenly, his head was lopped off and landed on the carpet, staring up at Stefan. He watched it for a few seconds and then looked up at Felicity. "Oh, my god," he said. "I can't believe you just did that."

"Great distraction, huh?" Felicity asked, then proceeded to separate the man's limbs from his torso.

"You're so neat when you do that," Stefan commented. "Usually, I just grab hold and pull." He grinned. "I just got an idea!" Once all the limbs were separated, the two of them leaned the torso against the sofa and placed the head and limbs were they were supposed to be. Then Felicity called the police to report the body.

"What do you think about that?" Felicity asked when she was done. "The officers will take care of the body for us _and_ they'll clean everything up. We don't have to do a thing!"

"I guess I was wrong," Stefan said. "I guess little Felicity's not afraid of the police after all."

"No," Felicity shook her head. "I'm not. And since I didn't leave the body in one piece, Adrian will probably be proud of me too."

"There's just one more thing we have to do," Stefan told her.

"What?" Felicity asked.

"We have to get the blood off of you, and quick," Stefan replied. "Wanna take a shower?"

* * *

"Morning!" Gregory greeted Katherine. She had a hand to her head and she looked sick from having yet again overindulged the night before. "Don't greet me so happily," She snapped. "I hate people who do that!"

"Well, you know if you hadn't drunk that entire bottle of wine last night, you wouldn't be in this situation," Gregory chided her. He set a plate down in front of her. "Omelet?"

This caused Katherine to stand up and run like mad for the bathroom where she promptly threw up. "Thanks for making it to the bathroom before you did that," Gregory called. "It's hell getting puke out of carpet!"

"Don't you have needy girls you need to go and protect or something?" Katherine called. "You're certainly doing a sucky job of taking care of me."

"You want me to take care of you?" Gregory asked. "That's news to me."

Katherine opened the door. "Well, at least know that you don't give aromatic omelets to hungover people!" She growled.

"You are right about one thing, though. I do have to be getting back to the shelter. Amanda is due to give birth any day now."

"Good for her," Katherine said dryly. "I hope her experience is as miserable and painful as mine was."

"Don't be bitter," Gregory told her. "It's not attractive. Of course, neither are dark circles or having puke in your hair."

"You could have held it back for me!" Katherine called as he made his way toward the door.

"I could have," Gregory replied. "But that would be showing you courtesy and I know how much you hate that." He heard Katherine blow a raspberry at him from behind the bathroom door. He chuckled and made his way to his car and drove to the shelter. When he stepped inside, everything was chaos. He found Louise, who explained to him that Amanda was indeed now going into labor.

"All right," Gregory took a deep breath and tried to remain calm and reassuring to all the girls who seemed to be in a panic. "Somebody help me get Amanda to the car and we'll go to the hospital."

When Amanda and one other girl were in the car with him, they drove to the hospital and got her situated in a room almost immediately, thanks to Gregory using his powers so they wouldn't have to wait.

It took awhile, but eventually Amanda's baby, a little girl, was born. When she was given the little girl to hold, she smiled with tears in her eyes. "I almost feel bad about giving her up for adoption now," she said. "She's a cute little thing."

Gregory nodded and reached out to pat the baby's head. "She is, but you have to do what's right for you. Do you think you could properly care for a baby?"

"No," Amanda shook her head. "I can't. Not right now. Now I have to get a job and an apartment and get my life back together. Then I can think about having a kid." She smiled at Gregory and took his hand. "It's too bad you can't be her father. I think you'd be good at it."

"Me?" Gregory gave a brief chuckle. "You think?"

"Yeah," Amanda nodded. "I mean, you take care of all of us girls, don't you?"

Gregory sat next to her on the bed. "Taking care of teenagers and young women is not the same as taking care of a baby, but I appreciate the thought."

"Well, someday, you're gonna make a kid awfully lucky," Amanda smiled. She cuddled the little girl one last time and then people came to take her to the orphanage.

"Are you gonna be all right?" Gregory asked once they were gone.

"Yeah, I think," Amanda nodded and wiped her eyes. "It's weird. I know I should be relieved to see her go because of, you know, how she happened, but I'm not. I'm sad."

Gregory nodded. "And that's okay," he replied, putting his arms around her. "It's normal, I suppose. She didn't do anything bad to you, did she?"

"No," Amanda shook her head. "She didn't. And because of that, now she gets to be with a family of people who can give her a good life, like I can't."

A few minutes later, the doctor came back. "We'd like you to stay overnight, just so we can be sure you're all right, and then you can go home tomorrow, all right?"

"All right," Amanda nodded. "That's fine with me."

He looked at Gregory. "Are you her husband?"

"No," Gregory shook his head. "I'm just a friend."

"He's the closest thing I have to family, though," Amanda told the doctor. "It's okay for him to see me." The doctor nodded and checked her over one more time before leaving.

"You probably have to get back to the other girls," Amanda told Gregory. "I'm fine, you don't need to stay here just for me."

"Are you sure?" Gregory asked.

"Yeah," Amanda nodded. "I'm sure."

"All right," Gregory sighed. "I'll go and run errands and stuff, but I'll be back later tonight, and then I'll be here when you're checked out tomorrow."

"All right," Amanda nodded, pushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Thank you, Gregory."

He took her hand and gave it one last squeeze before he left her hospital room and went to check on the girls, then home to Katherine.

"How are you feeling?" Gregory asked her. "Any better?"

"Well," Katherine sighed. "I don't feel like I'm gonna throw up anymore," she replied. "It's an improvement."

Gregory sat down across from Katherine. "Amanda had her baby," he said. "It was a little girl. And you know what she told me? She said she wished I could have been her baby's father. Isn't that nice? I never thought of that, but I suppose it could be nice some day and sadly, there's no shortage of women at the shelter whose children will need homes. I think I could be a parent at some point."

"Well, that's nice," Katherine replied, not meeting his eyes.

"Yeah," Gregory nodded. "It is. Amanda's spending the night in the hospital just so the doctors can make sure she's okay. I'm gonna go visit her tonight. I was thinking of bringing her some flowers. Maybe while I'm getting hers, I can get you some too. What kind of flowers do you like?"

Katherine looked up at him and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Gregory asked.

"What you just asked me!" Katherine replied when she could get her breath. "It was a good joke! Why in the world would you want to buy me flowers?"

Gregory shrugged. "I thought you'd like them," he said. "So what kind should I get you? Have you ever thought about it?"

Katherine shook her head. "Not much. I suppose if I had to pick, white roses would be nice." Her eyes were cast down, but Gregory put his hand under her chin so they were looking into each other's eyes and then he kissed her firmly. "All right," he said with a grin after pulling away. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

In spite of herself, Katherine was excited for the flowers Gregory had promised. He might be a lot of things, but a liar wasn't one of them and if he said she was getting flowers, then damn it, she would be getting flowers.

But that night, he came home with nothing. "Where are my flowers?" She asked. "You said I was gonna have flowers!"

"And you will," Gregory said firmly. "They were out of white roses and it will take time for them to get more."

Yeah, right, she thought. He'd probably just forgotten and was lying to her to cover his tracks.

This was what she assumed for a couple more days until one morning, she went to get the door, and an army of people carrying bouquets of various types of flowers marched in the house one right after the other. "Oh, my god!" Katherine cried. "What's going on? Did you decide to get every girl at the shelter flowers or something?"

"No," Gregory said, coming up behind her, putting his arms around her waist, and kissing her neck. "These are all for you. I felt kind of bad that it would take awhile for your roses to get here, so I hope all of these will tide you over."

Katherine looked around the flower-filled room, her jaw dropping. Then, she cleared her throat. "Well, none of these are roses, but I suppose they'll do for now..." She rotated her body so that she and Gregory were facing each other. "I suppose I should thank you," she said.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "If you want. I know how hard it is for you to say stuff like that."

"I never said I was gonna _say _it," Katherine replied. "I just said I was gonna thank you." She then pushed him against the wall and undid his pants, slipping her hand inside and kissing him deeply. She felt his hands go up her thighs and under her skirt, rubbing gently, then lowering her panties down her legs and leaving them crumpled on the floor. Moaning, she pulled out of the kiss, breathing hard and laying her head on his shoulder. Then they paused for a brief moment before she ushered him into a chair and straddled him, her mouth going down his neck. He was clutching her tight, his fingers laced in her dark hair. Then, she took a flower out of its vase and ran it down his cheek, sending shivers down his spine. She wriggled a bit so he was inside her and he groaned. "Thank you," he breathed. "Thank you."

"No," she grinned, nipping his bottom lip. "Thank _you._"

* * *

"Niklaus," Elijah said when he opened the door and saw Klaus on the other side. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to Selina," Klaus said. "Elijah, please. Just for a few minutes, and then I'll leave."

"She's not here," Elijah told him. "She's at the bakery."

"Good," Klaus grinned. "I'll go there. A nice public place where everyone can keep an eye on me and make sure I don't do anything horrible."

"Not right now, you're not," Elijah said. "I'm busy at the moment. I don't have time to come with you and supervise."

"Did you not hear me say there would be other people there to watch us?" Klaus asked. "Why do you need to be there at all?"

"What do you have against my presence, Niklaus?" Elijah asked him. "Are you plotting to do something that I wouldn't approve of?"

"Fine," Klaus said. "I won't talk to her at the bakery."

"You won't talk to her at all," Elijah corrected. "I told her about your past and I'm proud of myself for how accurate I was."

"And I'm sure there was absolutely no adapting what happened between she and I to make your relationship sound better," Klaus replied dryly. "I bet she's at the bakery making cookies and thinking about how crazy I am thanks to you."

"Well, you have to admit you weren't always an angel to her, Niklaus," Elijah reminded him. "She has some logical reasons to fear you."

"No, she doesn't!" Klaus protested. "Yes, I did some bad things when she and I were together, but we worked them out! They have no relevance to our relationship now and by bringing them up, you're only causing trouble."

"Goodbye, Niklaus," Elijah replied. He shut the door in Klaus' face and then Klaus grudgingly went back to his car, driving to Enid's and sitting at the bar. "Any luck with Uncle Elijah letting you talk to Mom?" Roxie asked.

"No," Klaus sighed. "No luck at all. I should have just gone to the bakery to talk to her. I shouldn't have wasted my time asking my brother first because it was obvious that all he was going to do was say 'No'."

"But at least the good thing about asking first is now Uncle Elijah can't say that you went behind his back and were dishonest," Roxie said. "That's something, right?"

Klaus shook his head. "Even though I asked, he'll probably find some other way to make it look like I'm trying to sabotage his relationship with your mother when I'm not."

"Yeah, I mean why doesn't he get that?" Roxie asked. "You had kids with her, you have grand-kids with her, the two of you had a family and a life. It's not unreasonable to still want to talk to her as long as you don't go too far with it," Roxie nodded. "I completely understand!"

"What are we talking about?" Lucy asked, striding into Enid's.

"What are you doing here?" Roxie asked her suspiciously. "You never come here!"

"Well, today I decided to," Lucy replied. "What's wrong with that?"

"I bet Uncle Elijah sent her here to spy!" Roxie cried, looking at Klaus with wide eyes. "Let's not tell her anything about what we were talking about."

"Don't worry," Lucy said. "I probably wouldn't find it interesting anyway."

"All I want to do is talk to your mother," Klaus told Lucy. "Tell her about what things were like between the two of us. Cause with that amnesia of hers, she has no idea. Your uncle promised me that he'd tell her and that he'd be honest, but I believe that no matter what he promises, his version will be more about protecting himself than telling the truth about us."

"What part of 'Let's not tell her anything we were talking about' did you not understand, Daddy?" Cried Roxie, full of outrage.

"She is on your uncle's good side, Roxanne," Klaus reminded Roxie. "If she knows what we want, perhaps she'd be willing to put in a good word with him on my behalf."

"Did it ever occur to you that Uncle Elijah would feel less threatened about you talking to Mom if you had a girlfriend?" Lucy asked. "Why don't you get one?"

"Why should he have to if he's happy the way he is?" Roxie asked her. "Why be in such a hurry to pair him off?"

"Because," Lucy said pointedly. "Who's to say that the only reason why he hasn't gotten a girlfriend is because of some hope that he and Mom will get back together? That's not gonna happen and you shouldn't be encouraging it!"

"Girls, girls," Klaus broke in easily. "You're allowing yourselves to stray from the actual problem. How am I going to speak to your mother?" He looked at Lucy. "I promise that's all I want to do," he said. "Nothing more than that."

"I don't think I believe you," Lucy told him. "Look, I know you think that right now, when you're here and Mom's not around, that you'll just be able to talk when you see her. But when you're finally face to face, what reassurance do I have that that's all it will be?"

"You should trust him!" Roxie said. "He's your father, why don't you?"

"Coming from the woman who ran to live here for ten years and and refused to come home, anything about trusting him because he's my father is rich," Lucy replied. "Uncle Elijah was the one who raised me, not him, and so I'm sorry, Roxie, but he's where my loyalties lie." She paused and gave Roxie a smile. "Now, may I have a drink, please?"

* * *

"Hey," Roxie said to Klaus after Lucy had finally gone. "I assume you still want to talk to Mom?"

"Well, yes," Klaus nodded. "Of course I do. Despite not getting any help from your sister."

"Well, I have an idea," Roxie told him. "You go see Mom and I'll take care of everything else, I promise."

* * *

Elijah made a noise of distaste when he opened the door and saw Klaus on the other side. "I already told you that I didn't want you here trying to see Selina," He said. "What part of that don't you understand, Niklaus?"

"Did it occur to you that maybe I came here to see you and not her?' Klaus asked. "What is so wrong about wanting to see my brother?"

"Nothing, I guess," Elijah replied, even though he was still suspicious. "Come in."

"Thank you, brother," Klaus replied and came inside. They chatted uneasily until Selina came home on her late lunch break from the bakery. "Hey!" She said when she saw Klaus. "What brings you here?" She put down the box she was carrying and opened it. "Cupcake?" She offered. Klaus reached for it, but Elijah snatched away first, pulled the wrapper off, and shoved half of it in his mouth.

"You know, I was gonna give you one too," Selina told him. "You could have just been patient. Now you're probably gonna choke."

"No, I'm not," Elijah replied once he managed to swallow. "And you shouldn't be giving those to him!"

"Why not?" Selina asked. "Because we're married you have sole rights to my body _and_ my baked goods too? That doesn't bode too well for my business." She handed Klaus a cupcake and went to put the rest in the kitchen.

"You can give baked goods to whomever you like," Elijah replied when she came back. "Just not him."

"Oh, my god!" Selina frowned and went to sit next to Klaus on the sofa. "Are you serious?"

"I believe he is," Klaus told her. "That's usually the way he looks when he's angry about something irrational and doesn't want to let it go."

Just then, the phone rang. Elijah went to pick it up, but came back a few seconds later with the phone to his ear, watching Klaus and Selina closely. He was talking, and then his eyes widened. "What do you _mean_ something happened to Laura at the bar, Roxanne? Is she all right? Is she hurt? What's going on?" He paused. "Oh, you just bet I'll come down there and see for myself. And depending on what happened to her, you just might have to find another place of employment because I will not hesitate to burn that one down! Goodbye!" He turned off the phone, and, breathing hard, gazed at Klaus and Selina. "I have to go," he said. "Laura's had an accident at Enid's."

"You're going?" Klaus asked. "What a shame. We'll miss you."

"I doubt you will, but don't think I'm going to allow you to be here together unsupervised. I'm calling Alistair to come watch you."

"What does he think we are, three?" Selina whispered. Despite himself, Klaus couldn't help laughing, which made Elijah frown even deeper. Despite the supposed urgency of what happened to Laura, he refused to move from the sofa until Alistair was inside. "Watch them," he commanded. "Watch them closely, Alistair. I'll be back soon." He finally left, slamming the door behind him, and Alistair looked Klaus and Selina over.

"I bet you're wondering who I am," he said to her kindly. "I've heard that you've lost your memory."

Selina nodded. "I did. So who are you besides being someone Elijah trusts very much?"

"My name is Alistair," he told her. "I'm a warlock, and you, Klaus and I have known each other for many years."

"He started out as my lackey," Klaus added. "A punishment for going against his own kind. And then, over the years, as we got used to each other, we became friends. Not sure how much of a punishment it is anymore, but, he's here."

"And what kind of trouble is Elijah so afraid of he called me here?" Alistair asked Klaus. "You aren't actually going to try romance her or anything, are you?"

"No!" Klaus shook his head. "I promised him I wouldn't, and I intend to keep that promise. All I want is to tell her about our life together, that's all."

"Elijah told me all we did was kill people and have sex," Selina said. "And that you might have hurt me at some point. Is that true?"

"Yes and no," Klaus said. "I admit there were times when our relationship was not healthy, but there were other times when it was great for both of us. Like the first thirteen years of our son Adrian's life. He probably had the most stability of all our children. He came out of his childhood relatively unscathed. Well, except for all the times he'd walk in on us in bed because he never learned how to knock, but..."

"So we got along?" Selina asked. "Really?"

"I would say we did, most of the time," Klaus nodded. "I was never like Elijah and kept you on a short leash. We pretty much did whatever we wanted whenever we wanted to do it. And I really did love you, I promise."

Selina sighed. "I admit that Elijah seems a little overbearing and overprotective, but he's nice too. I can tell he really loves me, even if his way of expressing it is a bit clumsy sometimes."

Klaus shook his head. "Elijah has never been really demonstrative with his feelings," he said. "Except for anger. He has no trouble expressing that. I fear to think how Enid's will look after today. I really do."

* * *

Elijah kicked the front door of Enid's down and strode into it, shoving anyone he came across out of his way. As he made his way to the bar, Laura came strolling out behind it. "What's all the racket out here, Daddy? Are you causing it?"

"What happened?" Elijah yelled. "How hurt are you? I'm gonna kill whomever allowed this to happen and then burn this place down!"

"I'm not hurt," Laura frowned. "I feel fine. There's no need to burn anything down. Are you okay?"

"No!" Elijah shook his head. "Because I got a call from Roxanne saying that you were badly hurt and I needed to come over here right away. I had to leave your mother and uncle practically by themselves in our house!" He began pushing bar stools over and reaching for glasses to throw.

"Hey now!" Enid came down the stairs, her dark eyes flashing. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Someone called him and told him I got hurt," Laura told her. "Naturally, that made him upset. But I'm fine."

"Well, then I guess you can go home," Enid told Elijah. "Unless of course you plan on being civil and just sitting down to have a drink. Then you're perfectly welcome to stay."

"No, thank you," Elijah replied, getting up. He made his way toward the door, but just before he reached it, a blur shot out ahead of him and he found himself face to face with Roxie. "Are you leaving?" She asked. "Why?"

"Because Laura is fine, which means I have no reason to be here," Elijah replied curtly. "Now please let me out, Roxanne, so I can drive away before my car gets broken into or stolen."

"But you can't go!" Roxie said. "I didn't call you here so you could just stay a few seconds and then leave! That won't give my mom and dad time to do anything!"

"That's my plan," Elijah said. "I don't want your parents to do anything. And how _dare you_ call me and tell me a horrible lie like that? Do you know how much that made me worry? I thought Laura was dead! Did your father put you up to this?"

"No," Roxie shook her head. "It was all my idea. All Dad wants is a chance to talk to Mom and nothing else and you're too stubborn to grant a perfectly reasonable request."

"I told him that I'd tell Selina about your parents' life together!" Elijah replied. "That should be enough for him."

"Well, what did you tell her?" Roxie shot back. "That she and my dad did nothing but be violent and have sex? You know that's not true!"

"It's close enough!" Elijah yelled. "Now, Roxanne, please. Get out of the way before I have to _make _you get out of the way." They stood glaring at one another and then suddenly, Roxie's phone beeped. She opened it and found a message from her father: "Mission accomplished. Heading home."

"You'll be happy to know that my father is leaving your house now," Roxie told him. "He's told Mom all she needs to know about her life with him and _this time_, it's accurate!" She stepped aside and Elijah stomped out of the bar to his car and drove home, trying to control his breathing. He didn't want to yell at Selina. None of this was her fault. All of his anger should be directed at Niklaus and Roxanne, not her.


	25. I Could've Danced All Night

That night, Elijah put on his jeans and waited for Selina to come to bed. But when she came into the room, she wore an oversized t-shirt, sweat pants and socks. He couldn't see any of her body. "Why are you dressed like that?" He asked her. "What's the matter?"

"I'm disappointed in you," Selina told him. "About how you carried on when your brother was here. Now, I don't know what happened to make you act that way, but I promise that whatever it was won't happen anymore. How many times do I have to say that? Don't you trust me?"

Elijah nodded. "It's my brother I don't trust." He reached for her and she moved away. "That's dumb!" She said. "He can't talk me into doing anything I don't want to do. I don't care how enticing he tries to be. I love _you_, and if you don't have enough faith in me to believe that, there's not a lot of hope for us, is there?"

"You wouldn't say that if you had any idea what made me feel the way I do," Elijah told her. "You'd say that I had every right to have these feelings."

"Well, the fact is that I _don't_ have any idea, okay?" Selina said, sitting next to him. "So either you tell me what happened and we deal with it, or you just stop fussing. Those are your two options."

Elijah sighed. "Fine," he said. "You want to know why I'm so skittish? I'll tell you. My father taking your memories of us was not the first time he's tried to separate us. About thirteen or so years ago, he made another attempt. He invited you and me to lunch with promises of reconciliation and then plunged a dagger into my heart and locked me away in a coffin."

Selina's eyes widened. "He _killed _ you?"

Elijah shook his head. "I'm not easily killed," he assured her, and grinned. "It's a perk of being one of the oldest vampires in existence. I can be immobilized by a specially made dagger dipped in white ash, but it takes something much rarer to finish me off and of course my family has done the best it can to destroy that something. You don't have to worry." He paused and cleared his throat. "Anyway, so I was immobilized and you were left alone with Gregory, Laura, and baby Colin. Soon after that, my brother came to your door with a child of his own, the daughter of your son Adrian, who for some reason decided to suspend all sense and give my brother his daughter, Felicity, to raise. Klaus, of course, had no idea what he was doing, so he asked for your help, and you took him in and raised the girl together. Things were fine for the first five years. And then you assumed I would never come back, so in a moment of weakness, you gave into your feelings for my brother and started spending nights in his bed, which led to you getting pregnant again. He proposed marriage to you, and the day of the wedding was when my father was kind enough to resurrect me. I found the location were your wedding was being held and surprised everyone with my presence."

"And then what happened?" Selina asked. "I bet you weren't too happy with me for what I did."

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I can't say that I was. I decided to let you live your life out with my brother and your new child but in exchange, I would take our children and you would never see me again."

"But obviously, I did," Selina said. "What changed?"

"Apparently, the thought of me leaving was so scary to you that you ran out into the street, trying to get my attention despite the fact that I was already being driven away. You were hit by a car and that caused you to miscarry the child. You spent time recovering, and after much begging, pleading, and groveling from you, I consented to take you back under the condition that you be absolutely faithful to me in the future. You promised, we remarried, and here we are."

"Have I kept my promise?" Selina asked. "Have I been faithful to you ever since then?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "And despite my efforts to trust you, the doubt just eats away at me sometimes."

"Why?" Selina asked. "There has to be a reason."

"He doesn't need you like I do!" Elijah burst out. "Niklaus has always been able to love in his own way, despite what's been done to him. Always! But I...I haven't, being under my father's thumb as I always have been. He always taught me that the only way to survive was to not show emotion so that people would see you as strong and fear you. I thought he knew best, so I went along with that. But over the years, I've realized what a mistake it was. That's why meeting you was such a good thing for me. You finally gave me a reason to pull away from my father and be out of his control. You're able to show love and kindness better than anyone else I've known in a thousand years. You make me aware of my emotions and assure me that it's okay to express them, and you stop me from turning into my father, which is something that I will never be able to repay you for. But if you leave me, I just know all that will change. Without your love, without your support, without your positive example around me every day, I just...I feel like I'm going to lapse into a cold, angry individual who ends up all alone and I don't want that._ That's _why I need you so much. Do you understand?"

Selina was shocked into silence. She put her arms around him and squeezed him tight, thinking about how all she wanted to do was hug him, kiss him, and fill him full of pie and hot chocolate until all he felt were good, positive, happy things.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I had no idea." She lay her head on his shoulder and held him for a moment before he brought her chin up so they were eye to eye. "I need you now," he said. "I want to hold you close to me and never let you go."

Selina nodded. "All right," she said, feeling herself tear up. He began removing her clothes and she felt tears squeeze out of her eyes. When she lay naked in front of him and he'd undressed himself, she said, "Your father was wrong, you know. Life's not worth living if you have to live it alone and the thought makes you unhappy. Having fear and respect is not the same thing as having love and I'm sorry it took so long before you were able to learn that."

"Yes," Elijah nodded, taking her in his arms and kissing her neck. "It took a long time, but I won't be forgetting it any time soon." He ran his hands over her body, his lips brushing the warm skin of her inner thighs, and as he slipped inside her and she let out a giggle and a shriek, he thought about how much he loved her, and how lucky he was to be able to hold her every day and wake up to her beautiful smile, and sparkling blue eyes, and that is what he planned to do every day for the next thousand years and beyond.

* * *

"Do you think my mom and dad are gonna be okay?" Laura asked Edward. "Ever since Mom got her amnesia, Dad's been kind of on edge."

"Yeah," Edward assured her. "I think they'll be fine. Your mom seems pretty firm about the two of them staying together in spite of your uncle. Can I ask what happened to make him so nervous, or would that be out of line?"

Laura grinned. "I think it would be out of line if you asked my dad, but since you asked me, it's okay. When I was three, Dad was kidnapped by my grandfather, immobilized, and locked in a casket for six years. In that time, Mom tried her best to be faithful even though my father was gone, but then my uncle moved in with his baby granddaughter Felicity, who is also Mom's granddaughter, and they raised her together. Then, after five years or so, Mom sort of despaired that Dad was ever gonna come home, so she got in a relationship with my uncle, they decided to get married, and my grandfather released Dad just in time for him to show up at their wedding."

"Wow," Edward replied. "No wonder your dad is insecure with your uncle nosing around your mom."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "And my dad is so stubborn. Even if Mom tried to make him listen to reason, I doubt he would."

Just then, they heard giggling and Laura saw Elijah and Selina coming into the kitchen, grinning, kissing, and holding on to each other.

"Well, that solves that," Edward told her. "It looks like you don't have to worry."

Laura watched them for a few seconds before becoming a little sickened. "Hey!" She cried. "You two need to get a room! You obviously left your bed too early."

"What's the matter with you?" Selina asked. "You shouldn't have a problem with the fact that your father and I love each other and are unashamed of expressing that. Think about how many children in your family have divorced parents and how lucky you are not to be one of them." She and Elijah continued to kiss and Laura frowned and looked at Edward. "Let's go somewhere else," she told him. "I'm starting to feel sick."

"I don't get it," Edward told her as they left. "Two seconds ago, you were scared that your parents were gonna split up and now that you know for sure they're gonna be together, you don't like that."

"I _do_ like that," Laura replied. "I just don't like it when they kiss and touch each other in front of me. It's disgusting."

"You don't seem to think it's so disgusting when we do it," Edward pointed out. "Even though a lot of your friends probably do."

"Well, what I do with you is not any of their business," Laura told him. "And if they think it is, well then I guess I'll just have to get some new friends."

"Like _my_ friends?" Edward asked. "I think you need to meet them sometime. They've wondered about you ever since you won second place at the science fair."

"They have?" Laura asked. "They _do _realize that the only reason why I did so well was because I had your help, right? Or is it because they want to congratulate you for being with a girl like me?"

"No, it's not that," Edward shook his head. "Glad to see you're so modest."

"Well, come on!" Laura told him. "How many of your friends have girlfriends?"

"Not many," Edward replied. "And the ones who do, their girlfriends look more like Ruth."

"Oh, my god!" Laura said. "You haven't seen her in awhile, have you? Is she mad?"

"No," Edward shook his head. "She and one of my friends became a couple, actually, so it's not like she's sitting alone by the phone waiting for me to call."

"Good," Laura nodded. "Great. Now you can start paying attention to_ me_!"

Edward couldn't help laughing. "I've always paid attention to you. It's hard not to. You're difficult to avoid."

"Yep," Laura agreed. "If I want your attention, I won't stop until I get it!"

"So," Edward asked. "Will you come with me and meet my friends sometime?"

"Sure," Laura nodded. "Why not?"

* * *

The next day, at lunch, Edward and his friends were talking when all of a sudden, one of them looked up and started having an asthma attack.

"Oh, my god," Edward cried. "What could have possibly made you-" He cut off the question when he saw Laura put her lunch tray down at the table and sit in the seat next to his. "Oh, right."

"You boys don't mind if I sit here, do you?" She asked with a smile.

"No, of course not," Edward told her. "Although it would have been better for you to tell me you were gonna do this ahead of time so I could prepare everyone. Some of them don't handle shocks well. David is an example." He indicated his friend who was just becoming able to get his breath back.

"Why is she sitting with us?" He gasped.

"I thought it would be nice to meet some of Edward's friends," Laura told him. "But if you want me to go..."

"No!" They all said at the same time.

"Don't worry," Edward told her. "You can stay. It's all right."

Finally, the boy next to him, a redhead named Jonathan, cleared his throat. "I saw your project at the science fair," he said. "I'm glad you got second."

"Well, I didn't do it all by myself," Laura told him. "Edward helped, so he deserves the ribbon just as much as I do."

She looked at David, who was flushing and avoiding looking at her. "Is he all right?" She asked. "Have I offended him somehow?"

"No," Jonathan shook his head. "He's always had a bit of a crush on you and now that you're here, it's a bit overwhelming for him."

"Wait a minute!" Laura said. "I recognize him! Whenever I do a play, he comes and sits in the front row and applauds louder than anyone else." She paused. "Hey," she said to David. "Look at me, would you, please?"

David finally got the courage to look into her eyes. "Thank you," she told him. "Thanks for coming to my plays and supporting me. It means a lot."

He looked at her for a second, then got up, put his hand over his mouth, and ran out of the lunch room.

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting," Laura said. "I didn't think he'd get sick. Should I be offended? Or worried? Should I see if he's okay?"

"No," Edward shook his head. "It happens more than you think. He'll be fine."

They continued to eat and at Laura's insistence, Edward went and found David afterward and reported to Laura that he was, in fact, okay.

"I'm glad all your friends aren't as sensitive as David is. You and I wouldn't be able to go anywhere with any of them if that was the case." Laura smiled.

"Thanks for making such an effort to get along with them," Edward told her. "I know they're not your normal crowd."

"Oh, it's no problem at all," Laura told him. "I actually enjoyed myself."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Because a lot of the conversation was about what a good actress you are or how great your science project was?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "I'm not gonna lie. That was great!" She paused. "I thought that it would be a good start to sit with you guys at school, and then if you wanted, we could go to the science museum or whatever it is you guys do for fun and you could teach me stuff. I'd like that."

"Yeah," Edward nodded. "I'd like that too."

"But we'll have to make sure David has enough time to mentally prepare himself," Laura finished. "That's important."

"Yep," Edward nodded. "Very."

* * *

Katherine was lounging in bed when she heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" She asked.

"It's Gregory!" Gregory called. "Your roses finally came!"

Katherine looked around the flower-filled room. "Do you think there will be space for them in here?"

Gregory opened the door and looked around. "I don't know," he said. "But I bet that we could make some." He shifted around a vase of daisies and a vase of red tulips and plopped the white roses between them. "There," he said. "Now they fit."

They were directly in Katherine's line of vision and she just grinned and shook her head. "You really are a smooth operator," she said. "Or at least you think you are."

"Oh, don't do this," Gregory told her. "It's okay to admit you liked the flowers. I'm not gonna think any less of you."

"They're pretty," Katherine nodded. "Thanks for getting them. But what happens now? What do flowers even mean? Did you get them for me cause you wanted to be nice, or what?"

Gregory shrugged. "I did want to do a nice thing for you. And I figured that if you reacted well to the flowers, I might consider asking you on a date. What do you think about that?"

Katherine stared at him for a long moment and then shrugged. "It's a free meal," she said. "All right."

"Great!" Gregory replied. "I'll go make reservations right now. Do you have any objection to going tomorrow night?"

"You're actually making reservations?" Katherine scoffed. "Why can't we just go to the restaurant and force them to give us a table? What's the point of having all these great vampire powers if we don't use them?"

"Why would you want to use them for something so lame as getting restaurant reservations?" Gregory asked. "It's not like we won't get reservations if we don't use our powers. I know people. We'll get in."

"Oh, all right," Katherine sighed. "It's not as exciting to do it that way, but I guess it's all right."

"Well, I'm glad her highness approves," Gregory winked. "Enjoy your roses."

He left to go make the reservations and once the bedroom door was closed, Katherine got off the bed and went to take one of the white roses out of the vase. It really _was_ pretty and she hadn't been lying to Gregory when she'd told him that they were her favorite flower. She got back in bed and looked around at the flowers in the room. They all were for her, she couldn't believe it. She'd had situations like this happen in the past, but usually it was because the man had ulterior motives and gifts like flowers were only given to lull her into a sense of false security before they pulled something awful.

She sighed. As weird as it was, she knew Gregory wouldn't be that way. He was one of the best men she'd ever met, even better than his father. Maybe he was too good to be true. He had to be. Or maybe he wasn't even real. Why else would he get her a whole room full of flowers just to make up for the fact that her roses hadn't come on time? And now he wanted to take her to dinner some place fancy. It was like a fairy tale. But bad things happened to people in fairy tales. Even the sanitized ones that were told to children. And she'd never been particularly lucky. Sooner or later, this good streak she was on was bound to run out.

She sighed, supposing that it wouldn't hurt her to at least try to enjoy the evening. She might actually end up having a good time. One never knew.

* * *

The next night, Katherine curled her hair and put on a long blue dress sleeveless dress with a shimmery bodice and over-skirt, curled her hair, and as she was looking for her shoes, she heard Gregory call out, "Are you almost ready?"

"Yes!" She called back. "I just need my shoes!" She found them, put them on, and prepared to make an entrance. She went to the top of the stairs and walked down them slowly so that Gregory, who was looking very smart and handsome in a tux, could get a good look at her. But as she got to the last couple of steps, she became so moved by the look of awe in his eyes that she didn't notice when the heel of her shoe got caught in her over-skirt. She tripped and started to fall down those last three steps, but Gregory caught her.

"Careful there," he said. "I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself before our big date. Then you won't be able to dance with me."

"Dance?" She asked in surprise. "We're going dancing too?"

"If you have the energy for it, I thought it would be fun," he replied. "There's an old ballroom not far from the restaurant we're going to. You look beautiful, by the way."

"Yeah, I figured you thought that from that goofy look you had on your face," Katherine replied, laughing nervously at the compliment. "It's good you found a suit that fits properly. I bet it's hard since you're so tall."

"Yeah, it's hard," Gregory nodded, adjusting his jacket. "But lucky for me, I know a place."

"You know all sorts of places," Katherine remarked. He offered her his arm. "You might want to keep a tight hold on me," he said. "We wouldn't want you to fall again."

"Ha-ha," Katherine replied. But she took his advice and let him lead her to his car and help her inside. "Your carriage, my lady," he said with a wink, and then shut the door after he made sure that her skirt wouldn't get caught. Then he climbed into the driver's seat beside her and started the car. As they backed out of the driveway, he said to her, "I'm really excited to do this tonight. Are you?"

He looked so eager she felt she needed to at least give him _some_ enthusiasm. "Sure," she said. "I've always loved dancing."

"I'm really good, I promise," Gregory assured her. "I won't step on your toes or anything." Then he looked at her face. "I'm being too eager, aren't I? I know you hate that." He cleared his throat and sobered up, and they drove the rest of the way to the restaurant in silence. Gregory was somber as the waiter led them to the table, and after holding out her chair for her, he took a seat across from her and hid his face in his menu.

Katherine sensed she'd done something to hurt his feelings, so to get him talking again, she tapped his menu. "Hey," she asked. "What are you going to have to eat?"

He looked up. "I think a spinach salad and a steak. What about you?"

Katherine shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't eaten recently enough to know what I like."

"You haven't _eaten_?" Gregory asked in surprise. "_Really_?"

"Well, nothing more than blood, of course. Not every vampire has someone who lives with them and is as enthusiastic about cooking as your mother," Katherine told him.

"Right," Gregory nodded. "Sometimes I forget that eating is not a typical thing since I've done it my whole life. Well, why don't you just have what I'm having? I promise it's good."

"All right," Katherine shrugged and put down her menu. "Why not?"

When the waiter came, they placed their orders and then when the food came, Gregory ate with gusto while Katherine consumed her food slowly.

"No good?" Gregory asked. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's good," Katherine assured him. "I just have to get used to eating normal food again. You know I only eat blood and whipped cream at home."

"I can see how it might take some adjustment," Gregory nodded. "But if you don't like it, don't force yourself to eat it."

To his surprise though, she finished all of what was on her plate and even made room for a piece of cheesecake they both shared. When they went out to his car to drive to the ballroom, she seemed much more relaxed than she'd been on the ride to the restaurant.

"I can't wait to get to this ballroom and dance," she told him. "I think it'll be fun!"

"I think it will be too," Gregory told her. They pulled into the ballroom parking lot and went inside. Katherine stared at all the couples who were already dancing. The floor was wooden, the room had the lights low, and a disco ball (she couldn't remember the other term for it) hung from the ceiling above. She and Gregory had come in the middle of a song, so they waited until it ended and the next one started before they began dancing. The first song was a slow song. Katherine knew how to do actual dances of course, but that night, she didn't feel like it, so she just hung on to Gregory and let him sway her back and forth. The pressure and warmth of his fingers felt good against her waist, and she felt bad when the song ended and he let her go to applaud the band. They tried dancing to one of the faster songs, but Katherine found herself quickly tiring of that because of the lack of physical contact required while dancing.

"Can we only dance slow dances?" She asked.

"Sure," Gregory asked, surprised. "I don't mind that."

"And I wouldn't mind if you moved your hands around a little," she continued. "I wouldn't mind if they went somewhere other than my waist. It's not like anyone will pay attention and judge us."

"We're in public," Gregory reminded her. "If we were at home, I'd be happy to touch you wherever you wanted, but in public we have to maintain some level of decorum."

"Yeah, whatever," Katherine rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna go get a drink. You want something?"

"No," Gregory shook his head. "I don't need anything."

They did a couple more slow dances and then left. The ride home felt awkward again and Gregory thought he knew why. When they got home, Katherine yawned and stretched. "I think I wanna go to bed if you don't have anything else in mind for us," she said. "I had a good night."

"I'm glad," Gregory told her. "But just a minute. I want to do one more thing if you're not too tired."

"What is it?" Katherine asked.

He found a CD of smooth jazz, and once it started, he held out his hand to her. "May I have this dance?" He asked.

"Sure," Katherine nodded. He twirled her into him so that their chests were touching and she was looking into his eyes. Then, he kissed her as they swayed back and forth, and she could feel his hands roaming around her body.

"You sneaky man," she whispered. "If you want me out of my dress, all you have to do is say so."

"I want you out of your dress," Gregory breathed. Katherine stopped the music and grinned wickedly at him. "I'll race you to the bedroom," she said. "First one there gets to undress the other."

Gregory grinned. "You're on," he replied, and then the two of them sprinted for the stairs, each sabotaging the other along the way. Katherine ended up reaching the door frame first. "I win," she said.

"You did," Gregory nodded. "What does that mean for me?"

She pushed him against the wall and got his jacket and shirt off without a word, followed by his pants. They were kissing pretty deeply as he reached around and unzipped her dress. It fell in a puddle on the floor next to the bed, along with her underwear, and Gregory was so aroused he didn't worry about hanging it up. Katherine put her arms around him and he picked her up and made love to her against the wall.

"Are all our dates gonna end like this?" Katherine asked, breathing heavily. "Cause if so, we should have more of them."

He spun her around and tossed her in bed before climbing in after her. "We could have more dates," he replied, squeezing her breasts, and then slowly pushing into her with a smirk that she found even more arousing than his touching. "But I would rather just stay home and do this. Wouldn't you?"


	26. Difficult Changes

"I can't believe you said our getting married was one of the worst mistakes you ever made," Helene told Adrian. "Why would you say something like that?"

Adrian scoffed. "Maybe because it's true? You used to be nice, but ever since we got married, it's like you've needed to control everything and you didn't care at all about my opinion."

"Well, that could be because a lot of the time your opinion was wrong," Helene told him. "Did you ever think of that?"

"Well, you could have at least _talked_ to me about it," Adrian pointed out. "Told me your concerns and then we could have fixed them together, but I guess that's not good enough for you. We're not like our dads where my dad gave yours complete control over his life and was okay with it. I am just as capable as you are at handling things and you should acknowledge that. If you can't, then maybe we should just get away from each other and do other things with our lives."

"Maybe we should," Helene agreed. "I think I agree with that. I'll make arrangements to move my stuff out either today or tomorrow."

Adrian nodded and then Helene left the house. She got in her car and drove into the city, finding the street where all the witch shops were and then coming into the nearest one, where Chloe and Laurette were waiting on customers. When they saw her, Chloe ordered everyone to the floor.

"I'm gonna have to ask you to go," she said. "If you don't leave on your own, I'll force you and it will be painful."

Helene scoffed. "Relax," she said. "I didn't come to cause a fight and if you hurt me, your leader is gonna be very disappointed."

"How do you know about what we're doing?" Chloe asked.

"You're not as secret as you think," Helene replied. "My mother found out and let me know, but I never saw you as a threat so I did nothing with the information. But now, my husband and I have gone our separate ways and I want to help you. What do you think?"

Chloe looked at her with suspicion. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Well, I don't know," Helene shrugged. "You're a witch, aren't you? Make up a truth potion. I'll take it."

Chloe was still skeptical. "I've got a much easier way," she said. "I don't want to waste potion ingriedients on you." She turned her back and walked into another part of the shop. "Fine!" Helene called after her. "Do what you want. I don't care!"

A few seconds later, Chloe came out and Kol was following behind her. "Well, well, well," he said with a grin. "And who might you be, darling?"

"I'm sure you know who I am," Helene told him. "I don't think I really need to tell you."

"You're right, Helene," Kol nodded. "What is it that you want?"

"Just what I told her," Helene replied, gesturing at Chloe. "My husband and I are going our separate ways and I want to help you. Think of all I know. How could you pass up my offer?"

"I could easily," Kol told her. "How can I be sure that you won't just go and tell your husband whatever we tell you? You claim that you and your husband are separating, but that could be a lie. And I don't like being lied to."

He stared at her for a few seconds and then, to Helene's surprise, he came around the counter and lifted her up on it. "If you help us," he said, locking eyes with her. "You will _not_ lie to me. Everything you tell me will be the truth. And if you try to lie, it will kill you."

"Yes," Helene nodded. "Of course."

"All right," Kol nodded. "Now that that's settled, what should I do with you?"

"Well," Helene grinned. "I'm currently without a place to stay at the moment. Can I stay with you?"

Kol smirked. "Ordinarily, I would laugh at such a proposal, but I suppose if you were to take up residence with me, it would be easier for me to keep an eye on you." He paused. "All right," he said. "You can stay with me."

* * *

"I saw Helene moving her stuff out," Felicity said to Stefan a few days later. "What do you think is going on?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Stefan told her. "They've probably just decided they're done screwing each other over and are ending things. No biggie. Why are you worried? They weren't even part of your life anyway."

"I know," Felicity nodded. "But I can't help but feel a little responsible. Things didn't get really bad between them until I came along."

"Now you look at me," Stefan told her. "What happened between them is not your fault and if you think it is, then you're an idiot. They made bad choices and you shouldn't feel guilty for the result, okay? Now stop whining. I know you're better than that."

Felicity sighed. "Fine," she said. "I won't bring it up anymore."

Just then, her phone rang. "Hello?" She said after picking it up.

"It's Lenora," Lenora told her. "I was talking to Chloe and Laurette and they said that Mom came by their shop and offered to help."

"You mean with the cause?" Felicity asked, her eyes wide. "Why?"

"I don't know," Lenora replied. "I thought you would, since you live with Mom and Dad and all. Anything weird going on?"

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "Helene's moving out. I think she and Adrian are getting a divorce or something."

"Damn," Lenora whispered. "And now Mom's probably gonna sell Dad out for all he's worth."

"So what should we do?" Felicity asked. "Do you have any idea?"

"No, not at at the moment I don't," Lenora told her. "But I'll think about it, I promise." She hung up then and Felicity did the same.

"Who was that?" Stefan asked.

"Just Lenora," Felicity replied. "She wanted to talk about the thing I'm not supposed to mention anymore."

"Ah," Stefan nodded. "I can't believe you didn't tell her about your escapades with the police officer and the girl in the river. Those are things you should be proud of. You can tell people about them, you know."

"I know," Felicity replied. "But-but it still feels kind of weird killing people, you know? Even if it _was_ in self-defense. Well, the police officer was, but-" Then Stefan cut her off, kissing her deeply. "Stop talking," he said. "I don't want to hear you say things like that. You shouldn't feel bad for killing people. If they're stupid, and they usually are, they deserve it. We are predators. They are our prey. There's nothing wrong with killing prey."

"I know," Felicity sighed. "I know that. I just...why don't I feel happy? Or proud? Or any of the other stuff you say I should be feeling?"

"Because you're letting yourself get bogged down in morality," Stefan told her. "I was like that once and trust me, it just makes things much more difficult than they need to be."

"Do you think my coming here was a bad idea?" Felicity asked.

"Yes," Stefan nodded. "All it's doing is making you miserable. So why don't you leave all this witch bullshit to your parents and your sister and we'll go home and see what your father is up to."

* * *

True to her word, Lenora thought and thought about what to do with her mother, but try as she might, she couldn't think of anything, until she got a very surprising visitor the next day. The doorbell rang and Henry and Susanna both ran for it. Lenora followed them and stood behind. "Be careful," she said. "You never know who could be on the other side of the door. It could be a bad person."

"If it _was_ a bad person, I would just stab them dead!" Henry proclaimed. "I'm not scared!"

Lenora rolled her eyes, picked up Susanna, and opened the door with her free hand, surprised to see Alistair, of all people, on the other side. "Grandpa?" She asked. "What brings you here? Come in!"

"Who are you?" Henry asked him as he came through the door. "Are you a bad person?"

"Do you think I would let him in the house if he was a bad person, Henry?" Lenora asked. "This is my grandfather, Alistair. Grandpa, this is my son, Henry, and my daughter Susanna. I don't know if you've met them. I know Grandma Selina has."

"I like her," Henry said with appreciation. "She makes yummy pie and cake!"

"Cake yummy!" Susanna agreed.

Alistair laughed. "I don't know if I can make cake as well as your grandma Selina, but I promise you I'm not a bad person."

Lenora urged him to sit and brought him some tea. "So what brings you to our neck of the universe?" She asked. "Just a visit?"

"Actually," Alistair confessed, "Astrid sent me here. She thinks I need to find ways to occupy my time now that I'm no longer working for Klaus, so..."

"Why aren't you working for him anymore?" Lenora asked. "Haven't you always done that?"

"Yes," Alistair sighed. "Originally, it was a punishment for me because I killed my clan leader and took over the leadership of our group, and you know turning against witch kind is one of the worst crimes you can commit, so when Klaus came to our village looking for help on something he was doing, I was given eternal life and ordered to serve him for the rest of time."

"Yeah, it's a real bitch when they do that to you, isn't it?" James asked, coming into the room. "They give you the gift of living forever and then they just ruin it by making you do something boring and horrible for the rest of time."

"Hey!" Lenora said. "Sometimes good things can come out of that. It's not all bad unless you make it that way."

"True," James agreed and took her in his arms for a moment before Susanna reached for him and began trying to wriggle out of Lenora's grip. James grinned and took her in his lap. "So you just came here to alleviate boredom?" He asked Alistair. "I think we can work with that pretty well."

"Good," Alistair replied. "Cause I really don't know what to do with myself now that I don't need to look after Klaus. He's taken up so much of my time over the years."

"Well, maybe you could help me," Lenora said. "I think I could use it."

"Why?" Alistair asked. "What's going on?"

"Well," Lenora cleared her throat. "I was just talking to Felicity and apparently, Mom and Dad are splitting up. I think it's for real this time."

Alistair sighed. "I hope you're not too offended by this, dear, but I can't say I'm surprised or upset that they're separating. I was always skeptical about them as a match. It seemed in the beginning that your father was going to prove me wrong, but now he's gone and proved me right."

Lenora shrugged. "I don't like Dad too much anymore either," she said. "Not that I think what Mom is planning on doing is necessarily the right thing either, but..."

"What is she doing?" Alistair asked. "Do I need to go have a talk with her? Maybe it was good I finally left Klaus after all."

"Now I'm not sure about this," Lenora told him. "But as I told you, Mom and Dad are getting divorced and I think Mom is gonna take the witches' side in the uprising against Dad that is happening in New Orleans. You know about that?"

"I've heard of it," Alistair nodded. "But your grandmother knows more about it than I do. Do you really think it's safe to have your sister involved?"

"No," Lenora shook her head. "She was initially being used as an undercover agent, but I made a deal with the witches' leader to replace her. It made Lissy upset, but I really think I did the right thing."

"Wait now!" James cried. "You're taking part in some witch uprising against your father and you didn't think to mention it to me? What if you get hurt or die? Then what am I gonna do?"

"Oh, relax!" Lenora told him. "I'm not gonna get hurt or die. Everything will be fine!"

"No," James shook his head. "Next time you go, I'm going with you, just to see what kind of situation you're putting yourself in and if I have to arrest anyone, I will."

"You mean you're going away?" Henry asked.

"Not right now," James told him. "But possibly sometime soon."

Henry brightened. "Does that mean I get to go stay with Margaret?"

"Yes," James sighed. "It means you get to stay with Margaret."

"No," Lenora shook her head. "You're staying with your father, because when I go, he's _not_ coming with me!"

James looked at Alistair. "Don't you think I should go with her?"

"You don't have to answer that," Lenora told him and punched James on the arm. "Don't put him in the middle of our problems!"

"If you would just let me help you, there would _be_ no problem," James told her. "And I'm not waiting for you to get hurt and then come home and tell me _that's _when you need help!"

"Fine!" Lenora told him. "Since it seems like you're not gonna let this go until I agree to let you come with me, you can come!" She plunked Susanna down in Alistair's lap. "Would you keep an eye on these two for a bit, Grandpa?" She asked. "It looks like James and I have some packing to do."

* * *

"You know," Mikael said to Elijah, "I met this really nice woman the other day. She's a vampire, she's several hundreds of years old, so she has life experience, and she's beautiful. I figure now that Selina is gone, you might want to give her a try. You can't be wallowing in pain and misery forever. Why don't you take her to the opera on Saturday?"

"I can't," Elijah told him. "Selina and I are going to the opera on Saturday."

"Like I said," Mikael told him. "It doesn't do to dwell on these things and at the rate you're going, you really need some sort of distraction. I'll tell her that you're all ready to come. She's really eager to meet you, son."

Elijah sighed and drove home. "We have a problem," he told Selina when she met him at the door.

"What sort of problem?" Selina asked.

"Well," Elijah cleared his throat. "You know how you and I were gonna go to the opera on Saturday?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "What about it?"

"Well, we're gonna have company," Elijah told her. "My father, who doesn't know or admit you and I are still a couple, set me up on a blind date. I'm supposed to meet her at the opera too."

"Well, that's all right," Selina assured him. "We'll both go and we'll meet her and tell her the truth about what happened. I'm sure it will be okay. And you really _should _tell your father we're still a couple."

Elijah sighed. "Even if I did, he'd probably just ignore me. Hell, it could be that he knows and is choosing to ignore it just to be irritating."

Selina nodded. "That's probably the case," she said. "Which is why you and I are gonna to the opera, meet her, explain what happened, and then see where it goes from there. Who knows? We might even make a new friend."

* * *

"I'm really looking forward to the opera tonight," Elijah told Selina. "Even if there are complications, thanks to my father. I'm really sorry about that."

"I _told_ you," Selina reassured him. "It's not a problem. She could be our best friend. You have to stop thinking the worst of things and look on the bright side."

"I don't know if I can," Elijah told her. "That's what you're here for."

"Right," Selina nodded. "Exactly. That's what I'm here for."

Just then, Elijah's phone rang. "Elijah, it's Astrid," Astrid told him when he answered. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I just want to give you a warning. I've convinced Alistair to leave your brother's service and seek out his own life because their connection no longer serves the purpose it's supposed to, but don't worry, I've sent a charming replacement to work in Alistair's stead. Her name is Amy and she's one of the most well-regarded life coaches in our world. So he's in good hands. But at the same time, Amy can take some getting used to for some people, so if your brother comes running and complains about a woman named Amy, that's what it's about."

"Thank you for telling me, Astrid," Elijah told her. "I've never known my brother to complain about a woman, though."

* * *

But Astrid's warning proved useful later that night when Klaus came knocking and urged them to let him in. Before he could hide himself, however, they heard a woman's voice call Klaus' name from outside.

"This is ridiculous," Selina told him. "Why don't I just let her in and then you and she can talk things over while Elijah and I go about our business? Cause we really should leave now if we don't want to be late."

"Fine," Klaus sighed. "Let her in. If you don't, she'll probably force her way in."

"She seems awfully persistent," Elijah remarked as Selina opened the door and Amy sped in. "But Astrid told me she was a life coach, which means she helps people get their lives together. Perhaps in her line of work, persistence is a good thing."

"Are you going?" Amy asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "We have opera tickets."

"What a shame," Amy replied. "I thought we would be able to get to know each other." She sighed. "Oh, well. I guess it will have to wait. Have a good time at the opera."

Elijah and Selina told Amy and Klaus goodbye, and, ignoring Klaus' pleas for them to stay, shut the door and drove off to the opera, where they waited in the entryway until a pretty woman with dark eyes and long hair, who was wearing a black dress approached them. "Elijah?" She asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "That's me."

"Great," she stuck out her hand. "I'm Teresa, it's lovely to meet you. You really are as handsome as your father said."

"Well, I'm glad he thinks so highly of me," Elijah said, "at least when he's talking to other people. But what he neglected to mention was that I'm not exactly available for dating." He gestured at Selina. "This is my wife and we're very much together. I'm sorry if you feel misled."

"But your father told me your wife was dead," Teresa replied. "How odd."

"It's not, really," Selina told her, shaking her hand. "He doesn't like me and apparently spends every waking moment wishing I didn't exist."

"Oh," Teresa grinned. "Wow. I'm sorry. Do you both already know where you're going to sit?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded, taking their tickets out. "We've got seats in the balcony."

"So do I!" Teresa replied. "That's wonderful." The three of them went into the theater together and at intermission, they came out talking like old friends.

"I've always liked Mozart's operas a lot better than the French or Italian ones," Teresa confided to Selina. "Strange, I know, since I'm of Italian descent, but you like what you like, I guess."

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I really can't stand the over-dramatic French and Italian opera. It's all so ridiculous, but Elijah loves it. This opera is good though. Funny. I like it."

"It's one of your favorites," Elijah told her. "I got these tickets for you."

"Really?" Selina asked. "Thanks!" They got some champagne and sipped it and then went back for the rest of the opera. By the end, they had made a date for another outing with Teresa.

"I told you we'd make a new friend," Selina told Elijah. "We just can't tell your father we like her, or we'll probably never see her again."

Elijah scoffed. "No kidding. I'm just happy I'll have something good to report to Father tomorrow. If I wasn't giving him good news, I'd never hear the end of it."

"Well, lying through your teeth is always an option," Selina said. "You could have told him that you had a good time, even if things had gone wrong and you hadn't."

"You know I'm not comfortable with lying," Elijah told her. "Even if, on occasion, it makes things temporarily easier, it never turns out well in the end."

"The point is though, we had a good time and you don't have to lie," Selina said. "I'm just saying that it would have been an option if we hadn't. Now, on a completely different note, how do you think things are going with your brother and that Amy woman?"


	27. Up In Smoke

Selina knocked on Laura's bedroom door and Laura looked up. "What's going on, Mom?" She asked. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "You haven't. I just wanted to let you know ahead of time that Lenora is bringing Henry and Susanna over for a few days cause she and James have to do something out of town."

"What kind of something?" Laura asked. "Did they tell you?"

Selina shook her head. "Nothing specific. Just that it's a witch thing they couldn't take the kids to. That's all they told me and I told them we'd be happy to take Susanna and Henry for a bit. That's not gonna bother you, is it?"

"No," Laura shook her head. "But you should warn Margaret. She might be glad to know Henry is coming."

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I better. And thanks for being such a good sport about this. I know it can't be easy to have more young kids running around and distracting you."

"Oh, believe me, they aren't a distraction," Laura assured her mother. "I promise you, they aren't. And one more thing." Selina paused. "Yes?"

"If it would work better for one of the kids to take my room, I can sleep on the floor in Edward's room," Laura said. "I really wouldn't mind at all."

"Are you sure Edward wouldn't mind?" Selina asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or your father?"

"Of course Dad wouldn't mind!" Laura exclaimed. "He's so hot to see us together, any opportunity to put us in the same room should be taken advantage of."

Selina sighed. "Fine," she said. "Do what you want, just be easy on poor Edward, all right?"

"I always am," Laura replied with a grin.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Edward asked that night as Laura moved some toiletries into his bathroom and put a pile of clothes on top of his dresser.

"I have to stay with you for a few days," Laura told him. "a couple of of my mom's descendents from her relationship with my uncle are coming to stay while their parents are out of town and they need space."

"This house is_ huge_," Edward told Laura. "I really don't think it's necessary for you to move in here just because a couple more people are coming to visit."

"I didn't think you'd be so against the idea," Laura said, feeling hurt. "Now I think I'm offended."

Edward sighed. "Oh, don't be. I'll sleep on the floor and you can take the bed if you really want to be in my room."

"Or we could share a bed..." Laura put forth. "If we promise to keep our clothes on, that is."

"I have no doubt_ I'd _be able to," Edward told her. "But you, I don't know. You can get a little...needy sometimes."

Laura smirked. "Don't knock it. When we're married, you'll find that a very desirable quality."

"Well, I'm sure I will," Edward nodded. "But for now, it's just...it's kind of inconvenient, frankly."

"You mean because I'm so demonstrative, it's always difficult to keep yourself in check?" Laura asked. "Is that it?"

"Yes, if you must know, it is!" Edward nodded. "Now you just move yourself in and I'll go see if I can find another set of sheets and a pillow for myself."

"Wow," Laura said. "You're really gonna sleep on the floor?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "What kind of a man would I be if I made you do it?"

"It's very sweet of you," Laura told him. "But really, you don't have to. I'll be the one to sleep on the floor since it's your room. I really don't mind. You don't have to pull the knight in shining armor bit with me."

"I know I don't have to," Edward replied. "But I _want _to. Really. It's no trouble at all."

"Fine," Laura replied. "Whatever."

Edward nodded and went to get the sheets and pillow, and when he'd come back and arranged them to his satisfaction on an inflatable mattress, he asked Laura, "So who are these people that are coming again?"

"Susanna and Henry," Laura said. "They're the kids of my mom's granddaughter Lenora. Don't ask me how they're related to me. It's too confusing. Susanna's just a little thing who mostly hangs out in the kitchen with Mom, but Henry's got a crush on my sister Margaret, which is kind of creepy, since if you think about it, they're related to each other."

"Well, so were generations of European royalty," Edward pointed out. "It's not so strange."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "But with the exception of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, what other European royalty who married their relatives actually had a good relationship? Not many, I would think."

"I don't think you need to worry," Edward assured her. "Margaret is like what, seven? And I assume Henry is close to the same age? They have a long time before they're even old enough to think about stuff like dating."

"I know that," Laura replied. "I just think it's kind of weird, that's all."

"Well, frankly," Edward replied, "I think things would be a lot easier for you if you spent less time involving yourself in things that weren't your business. Not a lot of people find being a busybody attractive."

Laura stood up quickly, eyes narrowed. "Well, maybe if you gave me other ways to occupy my time, I wouldn't spend all of it worrying about other people!" She huffed. "And I am _not _a busybody, thank you very much!" She gave him a slap and his eyes flashed. As she strode from the room, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back in. Then, he turned her so she was facing him, her eyes wide with shock because of the intensity of his actions. Her mouth opened and closed a few times and then he pulled her to him and kissed her once, long and deep, his hands running down her back as she threw her arms around his neck. Then, call from outside ended Edward's spell as quickly as it had come. "Edward?" Elijah called. "Selina wanted me to let you know that dinner is ready. And have you seen Laura?"

"Just a minute!" Edward called back, pushing a stunned Laura away from himself. He quickly wiped her lip gloss off his mouth and did the best he could to make himself neat. Then, he went out the door, trying to stay calm. "Hello, sir," he greeted Elijah. Laura followed a few seconds later. "Hello, Daddy," she said nonchalantly. "What's Mom made for dinner?"

* * *

"Thank you for letting me stay with Margaret while you and Daddy go out of town," Henry thanked his mother as they parked in Selina and Elijah's driveway and she took Susanna by the hand.

"You're welcome," Lenora nodded. "Now, you have to promise me that you'll behave yourself and be polite to your grandmother. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes," Henry nodded, looking offended. "I can do that!"

"All right," Lenora nodded. "I just wanted to be sure."

They made their way to the front door and Lenora knocked. A few seconds later, Selina answered it and Henry gave her a smile. "Hi, Grandma!" He said. "Where's Margaret?"

Before Selina had time to answer, he ducked under her arm and sped inside. "I guess I don't need to answer that question," Selina grinned. "I bet he'll find her soon enough."

"Yeah," Lenora nodded, transferring Susanna's grip from herself to Selina. "Thanks for your help. This is kind of an emergency errand we have to go on and I know you have lots of people to look after around here."

Selina sighed. "Well, now that everyone is a little older, it's not as bad as it used to be."

Meanwhile, Henry made his way to Margaret's room. He knocked on her door and when she told him to come in, he opened the door and announced, "I'm here! Did you know I was coming?"

"Maybe," Margaret replied, pushing her dark hair out of her eyes. She looked at him for a second or two and then went back to her reading.

"Hey!" Henry cried, going further into the room and taking her book away. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Yes," Margaret replied. "Now give me back my book!"

He grinned and held it away from her. "Come and get it," he teased. Sighing, Margaret got up, strode toward him, pushed him to the floor and snatched her book out of his grasp. "Thank you," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I want to finish my book and I'll be with you in a minute."

Henry waited impatiently until she finished and put it down. "There," she said. "I'm done."

"Finally!" Henry cried. "It was taking you forever!"

"What do you want?" Margaret asked.

"I just wanted to see you," Henry replied. "That's all. Let's go outside!"

Margaret nodded. "Okay."

He took her hand and pulled her toward the backyard. "Wait just minute now," Selina said when she saw them. "Where are you going?"

"We're going outside to play," Margaret told her. "I promise we'll be careful."

"Why don't you invite your sister to come too?" Selina suggested. "That would be nice of you."

While Margaret rolled her eyes and went to get her sister, Henry's eyes focused on an object in Susanna's small fist. "Where did Susanna get that cookie?" He asked his grandmother.

"In the kitchen," Selina replied. "Would you like some to take out while you and Margaret and Annaliese play together?"

Henry nodded and Selina put some in a bag for him. He then went out in the backyard with Margaret and Annaliese and the girls sat on the grass while he set up a stage for himself. "What are you doing?" Annaliese asked him.

"I wanna do a magic show for you," Henry told her. "Prepare to be amazed!" Annaliese looked at him skeptically and then turned to her sister. "Can he really do magic? Or is it fake magic, like people pulling bunnies out of hats?"

Remembering the flower he'd zapped her up once, Margaret told her sister, "I think what he can do is real. He's actually a boy witch."

Henry cleared his throat and both girls quieted and faced him. With a flick of his wrist, he made another flower for Margaret and then did a series of simple tricks, like changing his hair color or making the cookie bag float. Then, he climbed up on a stump and looked at the girls. "For my next bit of magic, I need a member of the audience," he said. Annaliese raised her hand wildly and Henry smiled. "How about you?" He said to her. She ran up to the stump looking very excited. "What are you going to do?" She asked.

In Elijah and Selina's yard was a small pond that was often full of frogs. One had gotten free and was determinedly hopping away. Henry grabbed him. "I bet I can make this frog talk," he said. "And that I can make you talk like a frog."

"I can already do that without magic," Annaliese told him. She did her best imitation of a croak and Henry grinned. "I can make you do it better," he said. "Hold onto the frog, okay?"

Annaliese agreed and shut her eyes while Henry muttered some things under his breath. A few seconds later, the frog let out a mighty croak.

"It's okay that it didn't work," Margaret told Henry. "It was a good try."

But to their surprise, when Annaliese opened her mouth to speak, no words came out. Instead. she made the same deep, reverberating croak that the frog had.

Margaret's eyes widened. "I guess it sort of worked!" She said. "Now you better make her talk like normal cause I don't think my daddy would like it if Annaliese always talked like a frog."

Henry sighed and made it so that Annaliese could talk normal again. "I don't get it," he said, stomping his foot in frustration. "The frog was supposed to talk too! That's how the spell goes!"

"It's okay," Margaret assured him. "You'll do it right some day I bet. But your other tricks were good."

"Yeah," Henry nodded, still thinking of his failure. "I guess so."

Margaret gave Henry a gentle hug and turned to her sister. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," Annaliese nodded. "I just got a little frog in my throat."

* * *

"So...now that it's been awhile since we went out," Gregory asked Katherine, "Would you be willing to do it again sometime?" He flinched as he waited for her answer.

"Oh, my god," Katherine said quietly. "You look like I'm going to hit you or something."

"That's because I'm waiting for you to say 'No'," Gregory replied.

Katherine felt her jaw drop a little. She'd spent so many years leading on man after man and taking what she wanted from them while giving nothing in return, and while in the past, she hadn't thought a thing of it, the sight of tall, proud Gregory flinching like a kicked puppy at the thought of being rejected by her, it was a strange thought.

"Why do you think I'm going to say 'no'?" She asked.

He sighed. "I know you're not much for any sort of real intimacy," he said. "You've given me a little and I'm really grateful for that, but I don't want to push you so far that you get frightened, leave, and don't come back."

Katherine let out a breath. "Maybe we could go out again," she said. "Do something a little less conventional than dinner and dancing? Not that I didn't have a good time, because I-I did."

"You can pick where we go next," he said. "Whatever you want to do, I'll do."

"Anything?" Katherine asked, her eyebrow going up. "Are you sure it's wise to give me_ carte blanche_ like that?"

Gregory shrugged. "It might not be, but at this point, I don't care. It doesn't matter what we do as long as I get to be with you. When you figure something out, just let me know. Now I'm gonna go to the shelter and see what's going on there. Maybe help Louise acclimate the new girls."

"All right," Katherine nodded. "I'll see you later, Gregory." She thought he was just gonna leave, but he paused at the door and came back, laying his arms lightly on her, and just barely touching his lips to her forehead before leaving for real and shutting the door behind him.

Katherine stared at the door for a few seconds and then went into the living room to think about what she wanted to do with Gregory. If she were to be completely honest, she had no idea about what to do. But what she _did_ know is that since details of her next date with Gregory would be completely up to her, she didn't want to do anything that would require them going out in public again. The thought of a bunch of people watching her be romantic with Gregory was almost too much for her. With that first thought in her mind, she thought of other things. First and foremost was the look on Gregory's face when he'd told her that he'd expected her to say 'No' to a second date with him. She hadn't realized that she came off so harshly. She sighed. Maybe it wouldn't hurt her to open up a bit more. As pushy as Gregory could be, he could also, at times, be very sweet, and in spite of all her efforts not to let that affect her, she liked him when he was nice to her. Maybe she owed it to him to give as much to him as he gave to her. Like, really _give_ of herself, like he was giving to her. But she was at a loss about how to do that. She looked around the house for ideas and finally spotted the cookbooks in a shelf by the toaster and took one out, leafing through it. That was it, she thought. He liked eating. She'd cook for him. Sure. she had no idea what she was doing, and she'd never be as good as his mother was, but Gregory was the understanding type. He'd give her points for effort. She looked through recipes, and when she finally found a few that she liked, she went out, got ingredients and prepared to cook for Gregory.

* * *

Gregory had just finished slowly and painfully murdering one of the shelter girls' boyfriends when he got a call from Louise. "What's going on?" He asked her. "Do you need me to come back? Has someone been hurt?"

"No one at the shelter," she said. "But I just got a call from Katherine. Apparently, your house is on fire and she has no idea what to do."

"Oh, fuck," Gregory whispered, and, ignoring the body and the fact that he was covered in blood, he ran for his car and drove to his house at breakneck speed. When he pulled into the driveway, he saw that smoke and flames were pouring out of the house and he was stunned to see a smoky, sooty Katherine stumble out the front door and fall into his arms. "What the hell happened here?" He asked.

"I-" She coughed. "I tried to cook you dinner," she said. "But, as you can see, it didn't go so well."

"Did you call the fire department?" Gregory asked. She shook her head. He sighed. She was lucky she'd been at his house and not her apartment. Far fewer people for her to hurt that way. He called the fire department and the police, who, when they came, asked the pair if they had somewhere else to stay for the time being.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "We do."

"And why are you covered in blood, son?" The police officer asked.

"I'm not," Gregory replied, locking eyes with him. "Now, if we're good here, I'm gonna take Katherine and go."

"Yeah," the police officer nodded. "We're good."

Gregory ushered Katherine into the car and as they drove away, she said to him, "I'm really sorry about this. I didn't mean for your whole house to catch on fire. I just thought I'd make you food and it would be a nice surprise. Are you mad at me?"

"No," Gregory shook his head. "Things happen. At least we have your apartment to go to. Did all this really happen because you wanted to cook me dinner?"

"Yeah," Katherine nodded. "But maybe I shouldn't. I don't want to burn anything else down. Maybe I just wasn't meant to cook."

"Don't be silly," Gregory told her. "You can still make what you were planning to. I'll help you."

"No," Katherine shook her head. "The whole point of this was that it would be a surprise for you. If you help, then it won't be."

"I think I've already had enough surprises for one night," Gregory replied. "And I swear I won't think any less of your efforts if you let me help you."

Katherine sighed. "All right," she said. "I suppose it would be good to have your help. I don't want to accidentally burn _my _apartment down."

They reached her apartment and while Gregory went in to shower, Katherine pulled out the recipes (which were on a piece of paper in her pants pocket) and looked them over. After Gregory got out of the shower, she showed him the list. "This is all the stuff I need for the recipes," She said. "We're gonna have to go to the store because I've got nothing in the refrigerator."

Gregory took her to the store, and then when they got back, the two of them spent the rest of the night making up the three-course meal she'd planned, which, at Gregory's house, had been reduced to nothing but ashes. As Gregory sat across from Katherine at the dining room table, he grinned at her. "I want to thank you for this," he said. "I know it probably wasn't easy for you."

"I'd say that," Katherine nodded. "Seeing as how my first attempt set your house on fire."

"Well, yeah," he said, taking a bite of the apple pie they'd made for dessert. "That was unfortunate, but it allowed us to do all the cooking together, and that was much more enjoyable, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Katherine nodded. "Or at least smarter, anyway. I feel kind of bad that you had to help me make a dinner that was supposed to be a surprise for you, though."

"Don't think anything of it," Gregory told her. "I really don't mind. But I _am_ touched you wanted to cook for me."

Katherine bit her lip. "Don't _you_ think anything of it," she said. "Really."

"There's nothing wrong with asking me for help," Gregory told her gently. "If this whole experience taught you anything, I hope that's it."

Katherine nodded. "Yeah," she agreed. "I'll try that from now on." She paused. "Again, I am _so_ sorry about your house."

"It's okay," Gregory assured her. "It was insured."

"But all your stuff..." Katherine continued.

"It was just stuff," Gregory told her. "The important thing is that you got out all right. That's all that matters to me."

Katherine sighed. "Thank you," she said.

Gregory nodded. "You're welcome," he replied.


	28. Stretching Her Wings

When Lenora and James arrived in New Orleans, it didn't take them long to reach where they were supposed to be.

"You would think that I'd have known about this," James said as they looked around at the shops. "Why didn't your grandmother ever tell me about it?"

"I don't know," Lenora shrugged. "Probably because there's never been a problem with it until now. Just what do you plan to do while we're here? You can't arrest anyone. They aren't doing anything wrong."

"I'm not just around to arrest people," James told her. "I can be of some help for them too, and that is exactly what I intend to do. You're not the only one who is allowed to be helpful."

"I wasn't saying that you couldn't be helpful," Lenora told him. "I'm just curious how."

"I'll come up with a way," James said. "But first, we need to figure out just what is happening." He and Lenora strode into the first shop and the woman at the counter's eyes widened. "Mr. Black!" She cried. "Whatever you're here for, I promise I haven't done anything wrong!"

She dropped to the floor and James let her cower for a bit before finally ordering her to stand up. "I haven't come to punish you," he said. "I'm not in that business anymore. I'm in law enforcement now. I've come to try and help."

"Oh," The woman relaxed. "Well, then why did you let me be so scared?"

"Old habit," James smirked. "There's still a part of me that enjoys the fear I used to instill in others. What's going on here?"

"What do you mean?" The woman asked, still nervous.

"He wants to know what's going on with the witches," Lenora told her. "We're here to sort the whole thing out. I figured that since he's law enforcement, he could be of some help."

"I didn't see you there, Lenora," the woman said. She looked very relieved. She took a deep breath and was finally able to look at James. "I don't know much," she said. "But Laurette and Chloe a few shops down know more than anyone. You should go see them."

"All right," James nodded. "Thank you."

They left and James said to Lenora, "Couldn't you have just told me that?"

"Yeah," Lenora sighed. "I could have." They walked into Laurette and Chloe's store and like the woman before, the sight of James, even with Lenora alongside him, put everyone in a panic.

"Everyone stay calm!" Chloe said. "We can deal with this. There is no need to worry." She grabbed Lenora and took her into a corner. "Are you crazy bringing him in here?" She asked. "What did you have to go and get everyone worked up for? Isn't worrying about your dad enough for us to go through?"

"James is in a new line of work now," Lenora told her. "He's law enforcement, here to protect you all, not to harm you."

"What?" Chloe asked. "Really?"

"She's not lying," James replied. "But if you insist on being scared, keep going. I enjoy it."

"You're not helping," Lenora told James through her teeth.

"So," James continued, ignoring Lenora. "Who do I have to talk to to get some information around here?"

"Me," Kol replied, striding out of the back room. "It all depends on who's asking."

"Kol, this is James," Lenora told him. "He's magical law enforcement. You can tell him stuff."

"Are you sure?" Kol asked. "I think I might want a second opinion." He turned and shouted over his shoulder. "Darling! would you come out here for a moment?"

"Sure!" Helene's voice called. "Coming!"

"Is that my mother?" Lenora asked, eyes wide. "What are you doing calling my mother that name?"

Kol grinned as Helene came out and put an arm around his shoulder. "Let's just say we have an understanding," he said and kissed her. "That doesn't bother you, does it, Lenora?"

Helene grinned at her daughter. "Hello, Lenora. What brings you here?"

Kol stroked Helene's neck. "They've come to ask for information about what Adrian's up to," he said. "Lenora brought her husband and thinks he can be of help. Is that true?"

"Now he'd probably be a better help to her than us," Helene said. "Lenora, you don't look well. Is everything okay?"

Lenora had gone white as a sheet and James had to grab her before she passed out. "We'll be back tomorrow," he said. "And you better have something worthwhile to tell us."

"Or what?" Kol asked. "What will you do to me?"

"I'll think of something," James told him as he carried Lenora out of the shop. "Believe me."

Lenora came to shortly after they reached the place they were staying. "You're up!" James said. "I can't say our little foray into the city went as well as we'd hoped, although I did enjoy seeing people still fear me. That was delightful."

"Please tell me that our seeing my mom with her arm around Kol was some sort of shared hallucination you and I both had," Lenora begged him.

"I wish I could," he said. "But it was real."

Lenora groaned. "I don't know why this bugs me so much. Mom and Dad aren't getting along, Mom should date whomever she wants. But it bugs me _so_ much!"

"I know what we can do to make you forget," James said with a grin. "Let's pretend that you're a bad witch, you've committed the worst crime imaginable, and I have to punish you."

"All right," Lenora sighed. "But I doubt it will work." She undressed and James used invisible restraints to hold her on the bed. "Are you ashamed of what you've done?" He asked, coming toward her.

"No," Lenora shook her head. "I'm not! I'll do whatever the hell I want and you can't stop me. I can just leave. I know how."

James smirked, climbed onto the bed and unzipped his pants before brushing her stomach and breasts and leaning close to her face, his beard brushing her cheeks. "You'll _never_ leave me!" He said before pushing into her and kissing her before releasing her arms so she could kiss him back and put her arms around his neck. "You're right," she said when he pulled away. "I won't."

* * *

"It was so nice of you to spend all day at Enid's today," Laura said to Edward. "It's been so dead there lately and I have no idea why."

"It's because there's been an outbreak of werewolf rabies," Edward told her. "It's a really contagious thing."

"Werewolf rabies?" Laura asked. "Is that seriously a thing or are you making it up?"

"No, I am not making it up. It's a disease that werewolves get," Edward told her. "Lots of the same symptoms as rabies and there are some other symptoms too, but just to keep things simple, we call it rabies."

"But you don't have to worry about getting it, right?" Laura asked. "I mean, since you're not an active wolf?"

"I don't know," Edward replied. "I don't think _there's _ever been a case of an inactive werewolf getting it, but there's always a first time for everything."

"And it's contagious, right? Spread from werewolf to werewolf?"

Edward nodded.

"Well, it's a good thing you moved out of your parents' house and live with us now then," Laura replied. "No chance of you getting sick that way. Although, if you _did _get sick, I would be more than happy to nurse you back to health."

"You would?" Edward asked with a grin and then kissed her. "Aren't you sweet?"

"Yeah," Laura replied. "I am. And then, after I was a nurse for you, you could thank me by playing doctor with me! And you can't say no to someone who saved your life."

"Well, that's only if I get sick," Edward said. "We can't even be sure that will happen."

* * *

Thus assured, Laura continued working and seeing Edward every day at the bar, until one day, he came with some news. "I have to make a quick visit home," he told her. "My grandparents are coming and they're some of the few family members I have that I like. But I promise I won't be gone long."

"Are you sure you should go?" Laura asked. "What about the rabies thing? What if you get sick? I don't want that to happen!"

"If it does," Edward told her with a wink, "you'll be able to play nurse for me, just like you wanted. But I think everything should be all right."

"When are you going to leave?" Laura asked.

"Not too long from now," Edward replied. "I'll have a quick drink of something and then be on my way."

"All right," Laura nodded. "How long will you be gone? Dad will want to know. He's going to miss you."

"Yeah," Edward grinned. "I'm sure he will." He paused. "Don't worry. It won't be for too long. Just a couple of days and then I'll come running back to your house where people are actually sane."

"All right," Laura nodded. "I'll be sure to let Dad know."

* * *

"Edward's gone," Elijah remarked when Laura came back to the house after work. "Did you know that?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "He came by the bar and told me. But don't worry, Daddy. He said he's only gonna be gone a couple of days. His grandparents are visiting and he wants to see them."

"Well, that's all right," Elijah told her. "Did you think I'd have some sort of objection to that?"

"No," Laura shook her head. "But I knew you'd miss him, so I just wanted to be sure you knew he was coming back, that's all."

"Well, thank you," Elijah told her. "I'll remember that."

But as much as Laura wanted to believe that the only person who'd really miss Edward was her father, she found herself tossing and turning in bed for the next few nights, and when the day of Edward's return came, she found herself more excited than she expected. At least until she got a phone call from him.

"Are you coming back soon?" She asked him excitedly. "You said you were coming back today!"

Edward's voice was weak. "I got sick," he said. "I don't know if my coming back is the best idea based on how I'm feeling right now."

"Can you not move at all?" Laura asked. "That's the only reason I can think of that is valid for you to not come home. None of us will catch what you have. I'll even come and pick you up if you tell me where you are."

Edward was quiet for a long moment and then said, "Fine. Come and pick me up. I just know you won't let me do anything other than come home." He told her the address and gave a hacking cough.

"Don't worry," Laura told him. "I'll be there in a jiffy!"

* * *

When she finally arrived at the address he'd given her, his mother came to meet her. "Have you come to pick up Edward?" She asked. "Be careful with him. He's weak." Laura was then faced with watching Edward being helped out of the house by two of his burly brothers. He looked pale and sickly, and seemed to be weak. They got him in the back of the car and then Laura drove away with him.

"You're gonna be okay," she assured him. "We're gonna take you home, and make you all better."

Edward gave a wheezing laugh. "Will you be wearing a short nurse's outfit while you do it?" He asked.

Laura smirked at the rear view mirror. "Sure," she said. "Why not? Now stop talking. You have to rest or you'll probably make yourself sicker."

They drove the rest of the way home in silence and when they reached Elijah and Selina's, Laura got out her phone and called Elijah to help her bring Edward inside. They got him in his room and Laura tucked him in.

"I'm sorry if I don't do the best job caring for you," she told him. "I've not dealt with sick people much in my life. Can I get you anything, or do you just want me to leave you alone?"

"I think I just want to sleep," Edward replied. "Thanks, Laura. Don't forget about the nurse outfit."

"I won't," Laura promised him. "I mean it."

It took much longer than it should have since Edward was around people who weren't accustomed to dealing with sickness, but eventually, Edward got better because Laura gave him her blood. They weren't sure that would work, but Laura came in to check on him one morning and found him sitting up in bed and grinning. "So when are you going to put on that nurse's uniform?" He asked.

Laura gave him a look. "Did being sick suddenly make you super horny or something?"

Edward shrugged. "Something like that. Somewhere between when I was foaming at the mouth and choking on phlegm, I realized that life is short, you know? If it weren't for you finally realizing that your blood could cure me, I probably would have died. People often do with this sickness."

"They do?" Laura asked. "Really? I had no idea!"

"Believe it," Edward nodded. "It's true."

"So are you saying that you actually want to have sex with me?" Laura asked, sitting next to him on the bed. "You better not be stringing me along."

"I'm not," Edward promised. "But it will only be this one time, at least for awhile. Are you on anything?"

"You mean birth control wise?" Laura asked. "Yeah. I've been on the pill since I was thirteen. And by the way, you really know how to ask a girl for sex, I mean really. It's so hot to be practical."

"Were you just expecting me to throw you up against a wall and rip off your clothes?" Edward asked, eyebrow raised.

"Well, yeah," Laura nodded. "I was."

Edward grinned, got out of bed, pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. "You know what you have to get if you want me to be _really_ fun," he whispered and turned her around, giving her a spanking. "Go on and do it."

Laura giggled and went out to her car. She had to drive to three different costume stores but eventually she returned with the nurse costume. "Are we gonna start playing now?" She asked Edward.

"Oh, no," he said, grinning wickedly. "Not until tonight. I think it'd be more fun to do it under the full moon, don't you?"

"That is just cruel!" Laura replied, stomping her foot as Edward dressed. "Do you know how hard it will be to focus on other stuff knowing that I have seeing you naked to look forward to?"

Edward grinned. "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger," he said. "You'll pull through. I have no doubt."

Laura rolled her eyes and went about her day, despite how difficult it was. And then, around nightfall, she told Elijah that she and Edward had some astronomy homework to do.

"All right," he told her as she left his room. "You two go out and do your homework. And be sure to work hard so you get a good grade."

"Oh, we will," Laura nodded. "I swear." She left his room and ran to hers, quickly changing into the nurse outfit before going to meet Edward. "I told Dad we had astronomy homework to do," she said. "We can be out there as long as we want and he won't question it. And he's in his room with the door closed so we don't have to worry about him catching us."

They sneaked outside and actually _did_ look at the stars for a bit, but then once the moon came up, something came over both of them. They looked at each other for a long moment and then Edward took her in his arms and rolled her onto the grass. He took off his shirt, then pushed up her skirt and rolled down her panties, throwing them aside before unzipping his pants and grinning down at Laura as he pushed into her. Clutching each other, they rolled around in the grass, the bodice of her dress ripping as his hands roamed over her breasts, giving them each a squeeze that made her gasp. He flicked his tongue over each of her nipples, his breath feeling hot on her stomach. He pushed into her a couple more times and by then, both he and she were breathing hard.

"Wow," Laura breathed. "My _god_!"

"Can I just tell you something?" Edward asked.

"It depends," Laura replied, turning around to face him. "Will it ruin the moment?"

"Possibly," Edward replied, electing not to tell her that most of what she'd experienced he'd learned how to do from the internet. They rested for a moment, looking up at the stars, before Laura said, "What do you say? Wanna take one more tumble?"

"We should probably go back inside," Edward told her. "We don't want your father to come out." He paused, his eyes widening. "Oh, my god," he breathed. "Your father!"

"Yeah?" Laura said as she hunted around in the grass for all the clothes she'd been wearing. "What about him?"

"What am I gonna tell him if he asks what we did?" Edward asked. "I can't tell him the truth! The only reason why he let me near you in the first place was because he thought that I would never do what we just did, at least until we got married! I'm never gonna be able to face him again!"

Laura sighed. "And on that note, the mood is officially broken." When the two of them were dressed, they went inside. Elijah met them at the door with a smile on his face. "So, you two," he said. "How did the astronomy homework go?"

"Great," Laura replied. "Wonderful."

"Actually," Edward said, "We weren't doing homework. We were having sex. I'm gonna go pack my bags now. I assume you don't want me around anymore." He scampered away before Elijah could do more than looked shocked.

"Did he just say what I think he just said?" Elijah asked.

Laura avoided his eyes. "Yes, sir," she replied.

Elijah shut his eyes tight. "Well, that explains that outfit. And why it's so dirty. I have to say, I expected _you_ to pull something like this, but for him to go along with it...how did you convince him?"

"I didn't have to," Laura replied, meeting Elijah's eyes now. "When he got better, he said that it made him realize life was short and that he wanted to have sex with me, so we did."

"Well, it was a smart choice of his to move out, then," Elijah said. "I thought he would be a good influence on you, but he's no better than any other boy, is he?"

"What's going on?" Selina asked, coming into the living room. "Why is Edward packing his things?"

"He's decided to live elsewhere," Elijah replied. "And I think that's not a bad idea, given the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" Selina asked. She eyed her daughter. "Laura, what's happened?"

Laura sighed. "Edward and I had sex," she said.

"Can you believe that?" Elijah asked Selina, his voice full of indignation. "Right under our noses, our daughter, who wants us to believe she is trustworthy, had sex without telling us!"

"And it's no wonder she didn't!" Selina said. "Cause she knew you were gonna blow it _way_ out of proportion!"

"Well, and why shouldn't I?" Elijah asked. "I suppose we'll have to go to the courthouse now and get them married before anything else goes wrong."

"No!" Laura shook her head. "I'm not gonna do that! You're acting like what I did is something to be ashamed of and it's not. I should be able to make decisions about what to do with my body. It's not your business!"

"Oh, of course it's my business!" Elijah told her. "You're still a child and it's my job to look out for you, including stopping you from making horrible decisions that could ruin your life!"

"_How_ could this ruin my life?" Laura asked. "I had sex with the guy I love while I was on birth control. It's not like he's some loser that's gonna dump me tomorrow. He's _Edward_, the guy _you_ picked for me! And now that he's acting like a guy who has hormones and feelings and does the occasional stupid thing instead of being absolutely perfect, you're gonna turn your back on him? Daddy, that is just _disgusting_. You should be ashamed of yourself!" She stomped off and then Selina gave Elijah a long look before leaving herself so that Elijah was standing alone in the living room. When he went to bed, he found that Selina had moved to the spare room so he would be sleeping alone. Growling in frustration, he sighed, punched his pillow and tried to get to sleep.

* * *

Despite pleas from Laura, in the aftermath their having sex, Edward still felt he had no choice but to move out of Selina and Elijah's and go somewhere else.

"You really don't have to do this, you know," Laura said as she helped him move into his new apartment. "Daddy has no right to be mad at you."

"Yes he does," Edward told her. "He trusted me to be good to you and I betrayed that trust. I couldn't look him in the eye without thinking that I betrayed him."

Laura sighed. "I still don't think you did anything wrong," she told him. "But if you want to be somewhere else, I obviously can't stop you."

"Thank you for understanding," Edward told her. "And it's not like you won't see me ever again. We just won't be able to see each other as much as we used to." They pulled the covers over the bed and Laura said, "Is there any other furniture we need to bring in?"

"None that I can think of," Edward told her.

"Well, all right," Laura said and handed him a bag. "It's for you," she said. "It's a blanket, and a bunch of Mom's cookies, and a picture of me. Put it where everyone can see it." Her voice broke as she said the last sentence. Edward took her in his arms and hugged her hard. "I got something for you too," he said.

"Oh, yeah?" Laura asked. "What is it?"

Edward left and came back with a big smiling teddy bear. "Push his stomach," he urged her.

Laura pushed it, and Edward's voice emitted from the bear. "I love you, Laura," it said. This just made Laura start to cry again.

Edward hugged her. "I'm sorry!" he said. 'I didn't want my present to make you cry! I wanted it to make you happy!"

Laura nodded. "It _does_ make me happy," she said. "Thank you, Edward. He'll have a special spot in my bed until we're married and you can take his place."

"Who knows if we'll be able to get married now?" Edward asked.

"Don't worry," Laura told him. "We will."

* * *

One night, Margaret had trouble sleeping because her dreams were full of a scary, red-eyed purple dragon that wanted to eat her. Shaking, she finally found the courage to get out of bed, leave her room, and go to Henry's room. She knocked on the door and when he answered it, he was frowning and rubbing his eyes. "What's going on?" He asked. "I was sleeping!"

"I'm having a scary dream," she told him. "A giant purple dragon is trying to eat me!"

She expected him to have the same sort of unamused reaction that her father did whenever she brought up her bad dreams, but instead, Henry's eyes widened and he pulled her into the room. "You don't have to worry about the big, scary dragon," he told her. "I'll protect you!"

"But he breathes fire and he could kill you too!" Margaret replied. "Be careful!"

Henry took one of her hands and pushed her behind him. "What does the dragon look like?"

"He's big, he's purple, and he's got red eyes!" Margaret replied, then let out a shriek when the figure of her nightmares appeared before her, filling up the whole room. "Kill it!" She cried to Henry, her voice desperate. "Kill it, kill it, kill it!"

"I will," he said. "Just a minute!"

The dragon roared once and fire shot out of his mouth. As Margaret shut her eyes tight and clutched Henry tighter, a sword appeared in thin air in front of him and he urged it forward, right into the dragon's belly. The dragon let out an angry shriek and disappeared. Afterward, Henry cleaned up the messy room, just in time for Elijah and Selina to come storming in. "What's going on in here?" Selina asked.

"Is everyone okay?" Elijah added. "Margaret, what happened?"

Margaret put her arms around Henry. "Henry killed the dragon, daddy. He's my _hero_!"

"You were having nightmares again?" Selina asked her sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

Margaret shrugged. "Thank you," she replied. "But I think I'll be better now." She hugged Henry again. "Thank you for killing the dragon," she said.

He grinned. "You're welcome."

"All right, all right," Elijah said. "Now that everyone is all right, I think it would be best if we all went back to bed.

"All right," Margaret replied as Elijah nudged her toward the door. "Goodnight, Henry!"

"Good night, Margaret!" Henry called back.

* * *

The next day, Elijah went to Margaret's room so they could have their usual Saturday afternoon tea party, but when he opened the door, Henry was sitting in his chair.

"I'm sorry," Elijah said. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Margaret replied. "I was just having a hero tea party for Henry because of what he did with the dragon. We can get another chair for you if you want."

"No, it's fine," Elijah told her. "You children have fun." He left and went looking for Selina. He found her in the kitchen and cleared his throat a couple of times until she finally turned around and acknowledged him. "Well, well, well," she said. "Look who's wanting my attention now. What brought this on, since you're not the type to apologize or admit you did anything wrong?"

"I just wanted to ask for your help but if you don't feel inclined to give it to me, than I'll just go and lock myself in my office and not bother you," Elijah told her. He was walking away, she said, "Wait!" He turned around. "Are you willing to help me?"

Selina sighed. "Only because it's not healthy to keep feelings bottled up inside of you. What's the problem?"

"You know how Margaret and I usually have tea parties on Saturdays?" He asked.

Selina nodded. "Yeah," she said. "What about it?"

"Well," Elijah swallowed. "I went in her room and Henry was in my seat. She'd started everything without me, and was calling it 'hero tea party'. She never gave _me_ a hero tea party." He scowled.

"Well, you have to admit you weren't exactly sympathetic about her nightmares," Selina told him. "All you've ever told her when she opened up to you about them was to go back to her room and try to get back to sleep. That's not exactly helpful advice. Henry took action and whatever he did, it seems to have gotten rid of her fear. You can't blame her for being happy with him."

"It's not fair!" Elijah told her. "First, I lose Laura, and now I'm losing Margaret too!"

"You didn't exactly lose Laura," Selina told him. "You're just being stubborn and throwing a fit because she's a teenager who wants to live her own life beyond the small little bubble you put her in. And why aren't you more happy that she likes Edward? I thought that's what you were hoping for when you threw them together!"

Elijah's eyes widened. "Well I didn't want them to like each other so much that that he would take her virtue! That's not what I thought he'd be like when I met him! I thought he'd just, you know, help Laura with her homework and keep the other boys away."

Selina burst out laughing. "Oh, how naive you are," she said. "Edward, in the state you liked, wouldn't have done any of that. This sexy, dangerous side of him is part of what attracts her. You wouldn't have gotten anywhere with them if he didn't have both sides of him. And stop treating Laura like she's some object that's gonna lose her value now that she's been with a guy. The guy she was with is the guy she's gonna wanna be with forever, so what does it matter if they have sex or not? You know he's not gonna dump her tomorrow. And I got Laura on birth control as soon as she turned thirteen so it's not likely she'll get pregnant from this."

"You mean like you did with Damon when you were human?" Elijah asked, his eyes flashing. "You're not exactly the best example."

"Damon and I were engaged!" Selina said. "He was going off to war! Us having sex was actually my idea and not his. I didn't want him to have died without us ever being together. And though I didn't get to raise Joshua like I should have, it would have been okay if I had, all right? So I'd say I'm a damn good example because instead of just denying Laura the opportunity to be a person and telling her that all her normal urges are shameful and wrong, I talk to her about them, tell her they're normal, and give her ways to deal with them that will minimize any consequences that might occur. I'm not telling her she should just go out and be wanton. When we went and got her pills, we did it with the understanding that they weren't an excuse to do whatever she wanted. They were a safely net in case her lycanthropy made her do something she might regret. It happens, and when it does, you have to take it in stride and move on. Harping about it will _not_ help anything." She paused. "It's a good thing Margaret and Henry are only seven and related. I'd hate to have to go through this for _two_ girls."

"I can't believe Margaret doesn't need me anymore," Elijah said.

"Oh, stop!" Selina told him. "One tea party with Henry instead of you doesn't mean that she's stopped liking you. It just means that she wants to thank Henry for what he did. But look at it this way; Even when the day comes that Margaret, Laura, and Annaliese have found men of their own, you'll always have me. You know that, right?"

Elijah gave her a long look and put his arms around her. "I want us to stop fighting," he said. "Can we do that? Please?"

Selina looked up at him and sighed. "Oh, all right," she told him. "I'll come back to our room because you're all lonely and sad and in need of comfort."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "That's exactly what I am!"

Selina just grinned and shook her head, taking Elijah by the hand and leading him to their room, where she undressed him and ordered him to get on the bed, where he watched her do a striptease with a grin on his face. Then, he swung his feet around, hopped out of bed, grabbed her, and ran back to the bed with her as best he could.

"Hey!" Selina cried. "You interrupted me being all sexy!"

"Don't care," Elijah shook his head and took her in his arms. "I don't need it, as you can clearly see."

"Yeah," Selina replied, her eyes locked on his body. "I guess you don't."

He put his lips around her nipple and began sucking as she moaned and ran her fingers through his hair. Then, he moved to the other one while his hands slid up and down her inner thighs. She gasped as he slipped his finger inside her, swirling it around her center before he touched it and she let out a shriek of joy. He captured her mouth with his and she reached forward, stroking him. He growled, pulled up her hand, kissed her palm, and then after a little bit of maneuvering, pushed into her a little, paused, looking into her eyes, and then pushed into her the rest of the way, letting her shriek ring loud and clear this time.

They continued in this way until they heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?" Elijah called, rolling off her.

"It's Margaret," Margaret called back. "I'm done playing with Henry. It can be your turn now!"

"All right!" Elijah called. "I'll be with you in a minute, Margaret!" He then grinned down at Selina and said quietly, "After I finish playing with your mother."


	29. Like Mother, Like Daughter

"I think I'd like to home now," Felicity told Stefan as she pulled the sheets off herself and got out of their bed. They'd been staying at a hotel ever since they'd gotten back from New Orleans because Stefan was reluctant to go back to Klaus'.

"Why can't we just wait a bit longer?" Stefan asked. "Why do we have to go _now_?"

"We have to go sometime," Felicity told him. "We can't stay holed up here forever."

"Yes, we can," Stefan nodded. "And here's the thing: If we leave and go back home, you and I probably won't be together much. I'll probably have to start dating other girls so Klaus has no idea that you and I have had sex, or have any sort of relationship beyond the contentious one we had when we left his house."

"Fine," Felicity told him. "You go and date whomever the hell you want. I don't care. I just want to go home!"

Stefan threw up his hands. "Fine," he said. "But you're really missing out on a good opportunity here."

"I really don't think I am," Felicity replied. "You can only ride the roller coaster so many times before it starts to seem dull and unimaginative."

Stefan scoffed. "I don't care if you don't appreciate what I have to offer. It won't be hard for me to find someone who will when we get home."

Rolling his eyes, Stefan growled and he and Felicity left the hotel and got in the car to head back to Klaus'.

"Huh," Felicity said when she noticed an unfamiliar car in the driveway. "I wonder who that is?"

"Maybe your father's got himself a new girlfriend?" Stefan suggested. "It's about time. I always thought it was stupid of him to just sit around and wallow, or even worse, waste all his energy taking care of _you._"

Felicity scoffed and shook her head. "Shut up," she told him. "Park the damn car and let's go inside!"

Rolling his eyes, Stefan parked the car and the two of them headed in. When Felicity saw that her father wasn't alone in the living room, she froze. Stefan bumped into her and muttered angrily. But his anger quickly abated when he saw who Klaus was in the living room with. She was very pretty. After some awkward conversation, the two of them left.

Amy shook her head as she watched them go, expressing disapproval about Stefan, and they didn't see either of the pair again until Felicity came out with her cell phone, saying that whoever was on the other end wanted to talk to Klaus. They chatted a bit more and then she left. Once she was gone, Klaus put the phone to his ear. "Hello?" He greeted. "Who is this?"

"It's Roxie," Roxie replied. "Are you alone?"

"No," Klaus shook his head. "Amy's with me. Why?"

"Would you just leave her be and go to a place where you're alone?" Roxie cried in exasperation. "I don't want her to find out what I'm going to say so she can continue to stick her nose in where it isn't wanted!"

"Oh, come on," Klaus replied. "Amy's not that bad!"

Amy brightened and Klaus immediately regretted saying the compliment out loud.

"I don't care," Roxie said. "I hate her and I don't want her listening!"

Rolling his eyes, Klaus took the phone to his room and shut the door. "There," he said. "I promise you that we're alone. Now, what do you want?"

Roxie sighed. "I honestly don't know what I want," she said. "Except, do you _really_ like that Amy woman?"

"No, not really," Klaus told her. "But she's a body in the house. I don't do well by myself and you _know_ your mother's not an option for me anymore."

"You know she could be," Roxie told him. "Her memory is gone. You could tell her whatever you wanted."

Klaus rubbed his temples. "Look," he said. "I know you want your mother and I together, but that just won't work out anymore."

"Fine," Roxie said. "But if you're gonna be with someone, it shouldn't be someone like Amy. She's not your type at all."

"I never planned on dating her," Klaus replied. "Like I said before, she's just a body in the house. Nothing more. You don't have to worry."

"Well, all right," Roxie told him. "If you're sure."

"So will you let this go?" Klaus asked her.

"Fine," Roxie sighed. "Instead of fussing about Amy, I'll devote my time to something more useful: finding you a girlfriend."

"Wonderful," Klaus told her dryly. "I can't wait."

"I'll try and do a really good job," Roxie assured him. "Bye, Daddy."

"Bye, pet," Klaus said to her and went to give Felicity her phone back.

"Is everything okay?" He asked her. "How was New Orleans?"

Felicity shook her head. "It wasn't what I expected," she said. "I don't think I'll be going back."

"When you met Adrian, was he horrible to you?" Klaus asked. "Because I would be more than happy to deal with him."

"No," Felicity shook her head. "You don't need to. It wasn't as bad as all that. The trip just reinforced to me the idea that you're my daddy and no one else is. That's all."

"Well, all right then," Klaus told her, ruffling her hair. "If you're sure. You'd tell me if something was really wrong, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I would," Felicity promised. "But nothing is wrong, so you don't have to worry. You can focus on your own problems without me adding to them."

"It's okay for you to talk to me, you know," he told her. "Amy's not really a problem. She's just someone I have to get used to, and I will. So if you have something that you need to say, go ahead and say it."

Felicity sighed. "New Orleans wasn't what I thought it would be. Not that I was naive enough to go there with the thought that Adrian and I would have a happy family reunion in spite of the fact that he_ chose _to get rid of me, but..."

"But?" Klaus nudged.

"_He_ wasn't the big disappointment," Felicity got out. "I _knew_ about him. I _knew _all that he'd done and I could deal with it cause at least when he got rid of me, he put me with someone who cared. But Helene! She let me think all my life that she really loved me and that Adrian was the bad guy and cheated her out of raising me when she screwed me over just as much as he did, but instead of being honest about it, she just let me go on thinking that I had a biological parent who actually cared, but we know how true that is. I mean, weren't you mad when you found out about the spell she put on me? Damn it, I was just a _baby_! It wasn't my fault!" She dissolved into tears and Klaus just held her, feeling all his muscles tighten. He had never wanted to murder someone so much as he wanted to murder Helene right now.

"Everything okay in here?" Amy asked when she found them.

"No," Klaus shook his head. "But nonetheless, go away. We don't need you at the moment."

"Are you sure?" Amy asked. "Because I could-"

"I will repeat myself," Klaus said through his teeth. "_Go. Away_. How hard is that for you to understand?"

"All right, I'll go," Amy nodded, her voice quiet. "But I was only trying to help."

* * *

"You know," Lenora said to James, "If it weren't for the fact that my parents have enslaved an entire town and we're trying to get them out of it, this would be a really nice vacation."

James nodded. "The first one in awhile. Or ever. I don't know which one. Not that I don't love our children, because I do, but they can be a bit of a handful. Especially Susanna. But at least she listens to me. I hope she's behaving well for your grandmother. You know how difficult she can be if she's put in strange places for a long time. Henry wasn't so difficult."

Lenora shrugged. "They've been there for a few days and we haven't heard news of any problems, so I think she's fine." Just then, her phone rang. Lenora saw who it was and sighed. "Hold that thought," she said. "We might be headed for some difficulty." She cleared her throat. "Hello? Grandma, what's the matter?"

"It's Susanna," Selina said. "I'm so sorry to interrupt your and James' trip like this, but I-I didn't know what else to do. Can one of you come, ASAP?"

"Sure," Lenora said. "We'll be right on it." She shut off the phone and sighed. "I knew the silence wouldn't last forever. Apparently, Susanna's back to being her troublesome self. Will you go and check it out?"

"Of course," James nodded. "If you promise you'll be all right here by yourself."

"Yes," Lenora nodded. "I will, James. I promise."

* * *

"Thanks for coming," Selina told James when he appeared in their kitchen.

"Of course," James nodded. "What seems to be the problem?"

"It's Susanna," Selina reiterated. "She hasn't slept much the last few days. I think it's because she misses you and Lenora."

James nodded. "Probably." He and Selina went into Susanna's room and found her sitting in her crib, her face and eyes red. When she saw James, her eyes widened and she reached out, yelling, "Papa! Papa! Papa!"

"Hello, you little monster," James said to her. "What trouble have you been causing now?"

"Oh, she hasn't been any trouble," Selina told him. "I only asked you here because I was concerned and didn't know how else to help her."

"Now, you behave yourself," James said, looking Susanna in the eye. "Papa has some very important work to do and that means he has to leave." James then put her down on the floor and started to walk out of the room, but it wasn't long before Susanna had anchored herself to his leg. "No!" She cried firmly. "You no go!"

"Yes," James told her, trying to pull her off as gently as he could. "I have to go, but I promise I'll come back."

"You're lucky," Elijah said, poking his head in the door. "Your daughter still needs you. Before you know it, she'll not want to go near you at all."

"Are you all right?" James asked him.

"He's just going through an adjustment period with our daughters and it's making him surprisingly emotional," Selina told James. "Don't let it worry you."

Selina looked at Elijah and placed a hand gently on his back. "Why don't you go to bed?" She suggested. "I'll join you in a little while."

Elijah sighed and nodded, heading back to his and Selina's bedroom. After Selina was sure that everything was all right with Susanna and James, who had decided to stay for two or three days, she went and joined Elijah in the bedroom.

"You're gonna be okay," she told him. "We'll get through this!" She climbed into bed and put her arms around his neck, cuddling against him. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Elijah sighed. "I know you probably think I'm acting like an idiot, but I just...especially with Laura, it's hard because I missed out on six years of her life, thanks to my father. Six years where she actually would have needed me and relied on me. And now, here I am and she's moving on as easily as you please."

"How do you know it's easy for her?" Selina asked.

"Well, you don't see her doing any crying over me, do you?" Elijah asked. "Just Edward!" He shut his eyes and tried to control his breathing. "I didn't intend for him to replace me when I pushed the two of them together!"

"Just _talk_ to Laura," Selina urged. "I doubt that your relationship with her is heading for the end like you think it is." She hugged him. "You want me to get you some cake or something?"

Elijah shook his head and held her. "No thank you," he said. "Let's just stay like this for a bit instead, okay?"

"All right," Selina nodded. "Do you promise you'll talk to Laura?"

"Yes," Elijah sighed. "I promise I will."

"I think it will really help things between the two of you if you do," Selina assured him, kissing his nose. "And it will make _you_ feel much better too."

* * *

Elijah was having trouble sleeping a few nights later, so he got out of bed around two in the morning and strode around aimlessly in the dark. He walked past Laura's room and heard sobbing. He knocked on the door and then opened it, seeing Laura clutching her teddy bear and crying. "I love you, Laura," was playing over and over again.

"What's that?" Elijah asked, coming to sit next to her on the bed. She looked at him in surprise, sat up, and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry," she told him. "Did I wake you up?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I was wandering around anyway."

"This is the teddy bear Edward gave me when he moved into his apartment," she said. "He gave it to me with the hope that it would make me miss him less, but so far, it's only made me miss him more."

"I'm sorry to see you so upset," Elijah told her. "I could kick that Edward for leaving you in such a state like this. Only the most vile of men do what he did to you and then leave."

"He left because he knew you'd be disappointed in him," Laura told Elijah. "He left because of _you_! Not to get away from _me_! _You're_ the reason why I'm all alone. Don't you go blaming him!" She gave Elijah the deepest frown she could make and then turned away from him and faced the opposite wall.

Elijah stared down at her for a second or two, reaching out, but hesitating to actually touch her. Finally, he cleared his throat. "What if-what if I told you could still see Edward? Carefully supervised, of course, but that's better than not seeing him at all, right?" He asked hopefully.

Laura sat up. "No, thank you," she said. "What's the point if it's gonna be supervised? It's like you don't trust me at all."

"Well, given the reason why he left, you can't say I'm wrong to be wary," Elijah reminded her. "What kind of father would I be if I let you go to a boy's apartment all by yourself?"

"A cool one who actually respects my decisions and trusts me," Laura replied. "You just don't want me to be happy because you want me to stay a little girl forever!"

Elijah sighed. "Look at me, Laura Christina," he said. Laura resisted for a few seconds, and then slowly turned to face him. "What?" She asked sharply. "Unless you're about to admit you're wrong, I don't want to hear a word out of your mouth."

"All right," Elijah nodded. "I admit that part of the reason why I've been such a bad sport about Edward _is_ because it scares me that you're growing up. I missed out on six years of your life when you were a child because of what my father did, and I guess sometimes it's hard for me to face up to the fact that no matter what I do, I'll never get those years back, even though I really, _really_ want to. Edward is a good person, probably the best I could've hoped for for you, but even as good as he is, you're still young, and thus not always capable of making the right decisions. Sometimes, you do things impulsively that you come to regret later, and that's what I want to protect you from. I don't want you to end up like your mother, just giving yourself to an endless stream of men who don't care about you and then waking up the next day and realizing that they don't feel the same way. I want you to be able to say with absolute certainty that you love Edward and Edward loves you, and there won't be any _chance_ of you feeling bad or having regrets, because you deserve better than that, Laura. Really, you do."

Laura sighed. "I know it, Daddy. I look at all the other guys in school, the ones Addie flits around with, and even though she seems to deal with her pattern of one relationship after another with no real commitment just fine, I know it's not right for me. I know that Edward is the guy, and that I could never be with anyone else. I _swear._"

Elijah sighed. "Well, all right, then. If you're absolutely sure, I'm going to make the offer again: Would you like to see Edward at his apartment, with supervision? I want him to have the opportunity to court you properly, not any of the ridiculous customs children have today."

"_Court_ me?" Laura asked. "I don't even know what the hell that means!"

Elijah nodded. "Which just goes to show how much society has gone down hill these days. So, do you want to see him?"

"Yeah, I wanna see him!" Laura said. "When do we leave?"

"You should probably get a good night's sleep first," Elijah told her. He got up off the bed and Laura said, "Wait, Daddy. Before you go, can I just do one thing?"

"Of course," Elijah replied. "What is it?"

"I want a hug," Laura replied.

Elijah grinned, put his arms around his daughter, and didn't let her go until Selina came into the room, wondering where he'd gone and grinning when she saw that he and Laura had worked things out.

* * *

Susanna calmed down after a few days, which was a good thing because by that time, James got a desperate phone call from Lenora that he couldn't ignore.

"You have to come back here now!" Lenora said to him. She sounded like she'd been crying.

"Of course," James said. "I'll be right there." He told Selina, Henry, and Susanna goodbye and zapped himself back to his and Lenora's house in New Orleans. "Lenora?" He called. "Are you here?" What's the matter?"

"I'm in here!" Lenora called from their bedroom, her voice muffled by tears. James frowned and made his way there where he found Lenora lying on her back in bed and staring up at the ceiling. "I've done a terrible thing," she said, sitting up when she saw him. "You're law enforcement. You might as well arrest me now. It's only a matter of time before someone does."

"Why?" James asked. "Lenora, what have you done? What's happened?"

Lenora took a deep breath. "I was at Chloe and Laurette's shop and I heard all of them coming up with a plan to kill my father. Now, I know I shouldn't have cared, but I thought the most they were gonna do was send him somewhere else, you know? Exile him, not kill him. And there was just the tiniest vestige of family loyalty left in me, so I told Daddy what they were planning. Next thing I know, four witches are dead and Chloe and Laurette's shop has been completely destroyed! And it's _my_ fault! I turned against my own kind to help a father who hasn't honestly cared about me in years! And you know what the punishment is for people who betray their own kind, don't you? I'm gonna lose my powers, just like my mother!"

"Don't be in such a panic," James said. "Your grandmother leads the council. If you tell her that you were protecting your father, I'm sure she'll take it into consideration when figuring what to do about this whole mess. For all you know, nothing will happen."

"Daddy isn't one of Grandma Astrid's favorite people," Lenora told him. "I'm sure that when she hears I enabled him to kill four witches, she'll probably have _some_ punishment up her sleeve, even if I _am_ her granddaughter. She was the one who decided Mom's powers would be taken away. Now it will be my turn. Like mother, like daughter."


	30. You Don't Own Me

"Hey," Elijah tapped a sleeping Selina on the shoulder.

"What?" Selina mumbled, but didn't turn to face him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Elijah replied. "I just thought I'd go make coffee and watch the sunrise and I wondered if you'd like to come with me. Or do you just want to stay in bed?"

There was a pause. Elijah was sure that she'd decline his offer, but she slowly turned to face him with one eye open. "Did you say there was gonna be coffee?" She asked.

"Well, of course," Elijah replied with a grin. "You think I'd wake you up before sunrise without offering you coffee? I'm not that cruel. But remember, you don't have to come if you don't want to."

Selina sat up. "Sure," she said after a moment's thought. "I'll come." She sat up and grabbed a robe off the bedknob, putting it around herself and picking up a photo from the bedside table. "I have a question I've been meaning to ask you," she said.

"What?" Elijah asked.

"This picture of us," She continued, gesturing at the photo of the two of them in nice clothes standing in front of a large manor house. He was in his usual suit and she wore a white dress with blue flowers on it.

"Where is it from? What was the occasion?"

"Our second wedding," Elijah told her. "We went to stay at the cottage for a few days and we got married again while we were there."

"What made you take me back even though I cheated on you?" Selina asked. "That had to have hurt you bad."

Elijah nodded. "It did. But you promised that you'd behave and there's a part of me that wasn't too fond of losing your affection and love, as well as your beautiful body, so I gave you another chance."

"And I've been good, right?" Selina asked. "I haven't screwed up again?"

"Obviously," Elijah nodded. "Cause if you had, you wouldn't be here now."

"Oh," Selina pursed her lips. "Right. Shall we go?"

Elijah held out his hand and the two of them went to the kitchen and Elijah prepared the coffee while the two of them marveled at how quiet the house was.

"I know I like my sleep, but it's nice to just be able to revel in the silence, isn't it?" She asked. "Especially when you know that not too long from now, five noisy kids will be up and going about their days." She sat down at the table and waited for Elijah to finish making the coffee. "Would you like me to help you?" She asked. "Or can you do it yourself?"

"I can do it," Elijah said, coming to plunk a cup of coffee down in front of her. "Just because I don't spend as much time in the kitchen as you do doesn't mean I can't at least make coffee."

Selina nodded and took a sip. "Hey!" She cried in surprise. "That's not bad!"

"Thanks for the compliment," Elijah said dryly. "Now let's go!"

They both grabbed their coffees and went out to watch the sunrise. "This is nice."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "And you know what else is nice? The fact that we won't be bothered by father for at least a few weeks."

"Why?" Selina asked, sitting up. "What have you done?"

"I told him that we were going to visit one of the cottages for a bit with Theresa, and he said he would come visit us," Elijah explained. "And _then_ I told Gregory and Katerina that they could stay at the cottage instead while they're waiting for Gregory's house to be fixed, so they'll be the ones who have to deal with my father and not us."

"Sneaky," Selina grinned. "But do you think Gregory will be able to handle it? I hope you were being kind."

"Oh, of course I was!" Elijah told her. "Gregory is the only one Father can actually tolerate. I think he respects _him_ more than me at this point." He frowned. "But I don't care really. I'm willing to accept his disapproval if it means I get to be with you."

"Oh, how sweet!" Selina said. They finished their coffees just in time for everyone else in the house to get up. Selina made breakfast and then sent the kids off to school.

"Are you going to go to the bakery today?" Elijah asked when she came back.

"I think I'd better," Selina nodded. "But it won't be forever. I'll make today a short day."

Elijah nodded and she went off to shower. He waited until the water stopped and sneaked in, waiting for her to step out. So intent was she on getting through her shower routine that she didn't notice him standing there until just after she'd put on her towel. He cleared his throat and she looked up, starting so that her towel dropped to the floor. This made him grin. "I think you dropped something," he said, handing it to her.

"Don't sneak up on people like that!" She cried, snatching the towel out of his grip. She dried herself off and then threw the towel on the floor, striding out of the bathroom completely naked. He followed and watched her select her clothes and put them on.

"Don't you have something else you'd rather be doing besides watching me dress?" She asked curiously. Elijah shook his head. "No," he said, his eyes still on her. "Not really."

She nodded and when she had finished dressing, she said to Elijah, "Would you do me a favor? I know that there have got to be pictures of our lives around here somewhere. Could you get some of them and bring them out to me so I can continue relearning my past? It's kind of awkward only really knowing what's going on in the present."

"Of course," Elijah nodded. "I'd be happy to do that."

Selina grinned. "Thank you," she replied. She went off to the bakery and Elijah went in pursuit of the photos she had asked for. He came back with a couple of boxes, and, since Selina wasn't home yet, thought he would get out a few photos to start their conversation off with, but one of the photos he found in the box was one that he hadn't expected to find, and wished that he hadn't.

* * *

Selina arrived home from the bakery and came inside the house. She looked in the living room and saw a pile of pictures lying in haphazard piles around the living room, but there was no sign of Elijah.

"Hon?" She called to him. "Elijah, where are you!" When she got no reply, she began wandering around, looking for him in the usual places. Finally, she found him in his office, head down, clutching a mostly empty bottle of wine in his hand. "Here you are!" She told him. "Didn't you hear me yelling for you?"

He didn't look up for a few seconds, and then, when he did, he lunged the wine bottle at her with such force that she barely had time to get out of the way before it hit the wall across from his desk and shattered, leaving leftover wine to soak into the expensive Oriental rug by the door. "You lied to me!" He cried, his voice slurring. He got up from the desk and began stumbling toward her, but fell down before he reached her. "You lied to me," he kept saying as he lay on the floor. "You lied to me. You lied to me."

"About what?" Selina asked, getting down on her knees next to him. "Elijah, what did I lie about? And how could it be so bad it reduced you to this?"

"You told me you got rid of all the pictures from when you were married to my brother, but you lied!" He got out. "I found one, of when you were pregnant. Just right there in the open for everyone to see."

"I would hardly call it 'out in the open' if it were tucked safely away in a box," Selina said.

"That's not the point!" Elijah yelled. "You _promised _me you would get rid of all the pictures of you and my brother and you didn't! You lied!"

"I understand that you feel that way," Selina told him. "But may I remind you that I don't even remember being pregnant by your brother much less promising that I would get rid of those pictures? I think you need to get to sleep. You've worked yourself up and you're acting crazy. I don't see what the problem is with a picture of me being pregnant with your brother's child while I was married to your brother."

"But it _wasn't_ while you were married to my brother!" Elijah replied, his eyes wide. He put his hands in a bone-crushing grip on her shoulders and gave her a shake. "Don't you get it? It was while you were married to _me_! Just because I was locked away in a box at the time didn't make our marriage any less legal! This was a picture of you when you were pregnant with my brother's child at the same time you were married to _me_!"

"All right," Selina nodded. "I get it, okay? Go to bed, and we'll go through the boxes and get rid of all the bad pictures connecting me with your brother tomorrow once you've sobered up, all right?"

"I'm not tired," Elijah replied. "You and me having a little fun might make me tired."

"Oh, no!" Selina shook her head and began trying to push him toward the office door. "None of that. I'm sleeping in the spare bedroom tonight so you don't have any distractions."

Elijah groaned again as Selina pushed him into their bedroom and shut and locked the door. "Good night, Elijah," she called. "I'll be back to check on you in the morning."

* * *

The next morning, however, it was Selina who was woken up by Elijah rapping endlessly on the door. "Let me in!" He called. "Right now!"

Selina sat up and rolled her eyes. "Fine," She called back, getting out of bed. "Hold your horses, I'm coming!" She ran to the door and opened it, seeing a very grumpy Elijah, clad in nothing but boxers, his hair sticking up at odd angles, standing before her. "My head hurts," he said.

"I thought it would," Selina replied, ushering him inside. "Were you expecting something different after you drank that entire bottle of wine last night?"

Elijah sat down heavily on the bed. "I don't need a lecture. I just need something to make it better and I need it now."

"What's the magic word?" Selina asked, her voice deadpan.

"Now!" Elijah shouted.

Selina sighed. "All right, all right. Apparently someone isn't in the mood to be courteous today." She left the room and grabbed Susanna, who was toddling aimlessly in the hall near her bedroom. "Who let you out?" Selina asked. "Was it your brother?"

"Henny," Susanna confirmed.

"Well, all right," Selina nodded. "As long as you're up, you can come to the kitchen with me to make things for Grandpa Elijah who is really grumpy this morning." She brought Susanna into the kitchen and made Elijah toast and coffee along with a hangover cure she found written in her own hand on a piece of paper next to the cookbooks. "I wonder where this came from?" She asked, picking it up and looking it over. Shrugging, she put it down just in time to see Susanna reaching for the drink. "No, no!" Selina told her, moving it out of her reach. "That's not for you. You wouldn't want it. It's yucky." She put everything on a tray and then gave Susanna a look. "Stay behind me," she said. Susanna followed obediently behind her like a baby duck but stayed outside in the hall while Selina brought Elijah's breakfast in. "Here you go," she said. "I hope this makes you feel better."

"Took you long enough," Elijah replied with a glower. Selina shut her eyes and tried to keep a hold on her temper. "You're welcome," she said through her teeth.

"And don't _think_ about going to work today," Elijah told her as she left. "I want you to stay home and go through all the pictures to get rid of any other bad ones you might have 'accidentally' left behind in the picture boxes. I'll be checking at the end of the day to see if you did as I asked."

Selina scoffed. "Excuse me?" She asked. "You did _not_ just say that."

"I did," Elijah said. "Do you need me to repeat it?"

"Look," Selina told him. "I know I screwed up with your brother, okay? I admit it. But I don't know why you have to keep hanging it over my head when you yourself told me that I've been nothing but faithful since we got remarried. You really need to start trusting me. Being jealous, suspicious and whiny all the time is no way to have a relationship. Now, I'm clearly a problem for you, so I'm gonna leave for a bit and I suggest you go and call a guy friend if you have any to help you get in a better frame of mind."

"Wait!" Elijah called after her as she strode out. He got out of bed and followed her, grabbing her arm and turning her around to face him. "I said you were going to stay home today and you are."

Selina's eyes narrowed and she slapped him hard across the face. He immediately let her go and she ran into the spare bedroom and locked the door behind her so that he couldn't follow. She dressed and shouted from behind the door, "Get some clothes on and go meet the kids' bus! I don't want them waiting out there on their own."

"Why can't you do it?" Elijah called.

"Because I did it yesterday!" Selina replied. "Today, it's your turn!"

Elijah grumbled and went to get dressed. He watched the bus drive away and then stomped back into the house. Selina, holding Susanna, met him at the door. "I'm gonna go drop Susanna off with Alistair and go to work. You have a good day, and think about what I said regarding inviting someone over to be a distraction for you. I really think it would do you some good." Then, to Elijah's surprise, she got on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Goodbye," she said softly, then left the house. She dropped Susanna off with Alistair and stayed for a bit just to talk.

"I haven't seen much of Astrid around here these days," she remarked. "What's going on? You two aren't in trouble, are you?"

"No," Alistair shook his head. "Astrid has just had a lot to do at work lately."

"Really?" Selina asked. "What's she been doing?"

Alistair was silent for a long while, then, with a sigh, said, "She's dealing with a very difficult witch uprising in New Orleans. Several people have been killed during it."

"That's so sad!" Selina replied. "I hope Astrid is able to take care of whoever did the killing."

"It was your son, actually," Alistair told her. "Adrian. He got wind that a bunch of the witches were gonna kill him and he killed them instead."

"I don't understand," Selina said. "Didn't I teach him that killing people is wrong? Did the witches actually have a chance to hurt him before he hurt them?"

"No," Alistair shook his head. "He escaped completely unscathed."

Selina reached out and laid a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry," she said. "I promise I'll help if I can. Granted I don't exactly remember Adrian anymore, but..."

"That's sweet," Alistair told her. "But you don't need to worry. His father is living with a witch now, who will hopefully make _him_ aware of the situation, so he can take care of it. It's nothing you have to worry about."

Selina nodded. "Well, all right," she told him. "As long as things are under control." She told both him and Susanna goodbye one last time and headed to the bakery. She was working when a blonde woman came to the counter. "Hey," she said. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Selina replied, turning around. "What can I get you?"

"You don't recognize me?" The woman asked. She wore high heels and an expensive blue and purple striped dress.

"Should I?" Selina asked.

"Well, yeah," The woman replied. "I'm only your sister in law!"

"I didn't know I even had a sister in law!" Selina said. "What's your name?"

"Anna," Anna replied. "Do you really not remember? I mean, Elijah told me that Father had done something to you, but I didn't believe it was that bad."

"Oh, believe it," Selina told her. "I don't remember anything about my life if your family is involved. I mean, Elijah's told me things, of course, but I don't truly remember them. And I couldn't have met you at a more perfect time. Your brother is having a fit and I need a place to lie low on occasion."

"What happened?" Anna asked with a sigh. "What's he done now?"

"Well, I guess in a way, it's my fault," Selina said. "Apparently, some time ago, your father got mad about my relationship with Elijah, immobilized him, and locked him away for several years, and while he was away, I had an affair with your brother Klaus and got pregnant. I lost the child and your brother agreed to take me back on the condition that I wouldn't cheat again. I haven't, but he found a picture from the time when I was pregnant with this most recent child of Klaus' while I was technically still married to him, and he got upset because he thought all of them had been destroyed and he's been intolerable all day. If I didn't have this bakery to escape to, I probably would have killed us both by now."

"Oh, yes," Anna nodded. "I remember that. It was really beyond anything Father had done before. I was even surprised. Don't let anything Elijah says affect you too much. You being with Klaus while he was undergoing Father's punishment hit him hard. Now he's a bit skittish, but under that, I know he still loves you."

"I know he still loves me!" Selina said. "And I know that having that affair with Klaus was wrong. How long is he gonna make me pay for that mistake? I can only say 'I'm sorry' and mean it so many times before I stop caring, especially when he insists on acting like an overly possessive toddler all the time."

"Just be patient with him," Anna advised. "You don't have to obey his every whim. It's okay to take a firm stance against him. Just remember that if you go that route, things will probably get worse before they get better." She took a napkin from the dispenser on the counter and wrote on it. "Here's my address if you ever need it," she said.

"Thanks," Selina replied. "You're so sweet."

"You're welcome," Anna replied. "And would you get me a piece of cherry pie, please?"

* * *

"You know," Katherine said as she and Gregory brought suitcases into one of the Mikaelson summer cottages that they were staying in while his house was being fixed. "This is really nice."

"I know, isn't it?" Gregory asked. "And the best part is, we have people here to do all the cooking and cleaning and stuff for us. Isn't that delightful?"

"Is that a subtle way of telling me you don't want me to go near the kitchen?" Katherine asked him.

"You can go near the kitchen, I have no problem with that," Gregory replied. "And here it's even better because you have supervision."

"I'm really surprised you were willing to leave the girls at the shelter," Katherine told him. "I would have thought they'd need you 24/7."

"Not necessarily," Gregory said. "There's Louise and several others to look out for them, and they have my number in case there's a real problem."

Just then, there was a knock on the cabin door. Gregory went to answer it and was surprised to see his grandfather on the other side.

"Grandfather?" He asked Mikael, who was just as surprised to see him as Gregory was to see Mikael. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same about you," Mikael said. "I was expecting your father and Theresa."

"Who's Theresa?" Gregory asked.

"Your father's new girlfriend," Mikael replied. "He told me that he was going to bring her here around this time."

"Well, it's just me and Katherine here now," Gregory told him. "We're here while they fix my house. Would you like to come in anyway?"

Mikael nodded. "Thank you," he said. "I wonder why your father told me he would be here and now he's not?"

Gregory shrugged. "I don't know. But I also don't know about that Theresa either, so I'm pretty out of the loop."

"May I offer an opinion as to why Elijah chose to be elsewhere when he knew you were coming?" Katherine asked Mikael.

"No!" Gregory replied quickly, putting a hand over Katherine's mouth. "No, that won't be necessary, Katherine."

"Oh, don't be silly," Mikael said. "Release her, Gregory. I believe I'd like to hear what she has to say."

Gregory reluctantly let Katherine go. "Thank you," Katherine replied. "If you ask me, that was entirely unnecessary."

"I don't believe it was," Gregory replied. "Say what you're gonna say, but it's your funeral afterward."

"Yes," Mikael replied. "Please tell me why you believe my son deceived me?"

Katherine looked between Gregory and Mikael and then swallowed. "Maybe something came up at the last minute," she said and Gregory let out a relieved breath. "That's what it seemed like when Elijah asked us if we wanted to have the cabin while his house was being fixed. He _did_ mention that you were going to stop by and told us to give you his apologies for not being here."

"Was that _really_ the reason?" Mikael asked. "Cause I thought for sure it would have something to do with Gregory's mother and Elijah's repeated attempts to avoid me in favor of her."

"Well, if you knew that Father wouldn't be receptive to the idea of having a girlfriend, and getting away from my mother," Gregory said, "then why did you try it? Why did you drag some poor woman into this?"

"Oh, don't be over dramatic!" Mikael replied with impatience. "I've talked to Theresa and she hasn't acted troubled or inconvenienced at all. Maybe your father really _is_ trying to have a relationship with her and is slowly easing your mother out." He looked hopeful.

"I don't think that's going to happen, Grandfather," Gregory said. "I think Mother and Father are always going to want to be with each other and that is something you're going to have to face."

"As always," Mikael told him firmly, "That is a matter of opinion. Now, which room do you want me to take?"

"You want a room?" Katherine asked. "Why would you want a room?"

"I don't think it's wrong for me to want to spend time with my grandson, is it?" Mikael asked her.

"But we had plans!" Katherine replied. "You can't just come barging in here and-"

"Oh, I don't believe I'm barging in," Mikael said, grabbing Katherine by the throat. "I believe you're happy to let me stay. Correct?"

Katherine nodded, and he let her go.

"Our room is the last one on the right side of the hallway," Gregory told Mikael. "You can pick any of the others."

Mikael nodded and then summoned a member of the staff to come and help him unpack. Once he was gone, Katherine glared at Gregory. "You were no help at all, you spineless jerk! Why didn't you stick up for me? Now we're stuck with him. If he's mad at your father, I don't see why _we_ have to be punished."

"It won't be forever," Gregory assured her. "We just have to put up with him for a few days and then I'm sure he'll go away."

"Well, until then what do I do?" Katherine asked.

"You behave," Gregory told her. "It's not that difficult if you just try."

Katherine managed to make it through the rest of the day well enough, but by that night, she'd had enough. After Mikael went to bed, she decided to rouse Gregory. "Let's do something," she whispered. "I'm really not tired."

"Well, I am," Gregory replied. "And I'm not letting you go out unsupervised."

"Why not?" Katherine asked. "After a day like today, we deserve some fun!"

"If you think it's a good idea to kill people with my grandfather here, you're insane," Gregory told her.

"Who said anything about killing people?" Katherine replied. "I just want to get a drink and there's a twenty-four hour mini mart nearby. I saw it."

"Fine," Gregory sighed. "We'll get in the car, we'll go get a drink, but that's it! Nothing else!"

"All right," Katherine replied. "Nothing else."

And true to her word, she didn't push him into anything, so she was really surprised when, two bottles of wine later, Gregory suggested they go out hunting.

"Really?" She asked him. "What about your grandfather? Won't it make him unhappy if you and I murder a whole bunch of people?"

"Oh, please!" Gregory laughed. "I'm related to him. Do you honestly think he'll kill me? I can kill with impunity. It doesn't matter!" He threw the second wine bottle in the backseat of the car once it was empty and opened the car door. They'd been sitting in the grocery store parking lot but now Gregory made his way back into the store. Katherine sat in the car a few minutes after he'd gone, but then decided she couldn't miss whatever he was doing. When she went inside, she found him talking to a group of girls. When they all saw her, the girls looked at her with suspicion, but Gregory urged her to come closer. "I was just telling these lovely ladies here about the party we're gonna have," he said. "And how they're all invited."

"Oh," Katherine nodded. "Of course they're invited. But remember we can't have the party at our house."

"No," Gregory shook his head. "But there are woods by the house, remember. It's a good idea to have parties in the woods. It can be a bonfire."

Katherine nodded and they all drove into the woods where Gregory and Katherine fed on all the girls they cared to and then burned and buried the bodies. Then they went back to the house, cleaned themselves off, and went to bed.

"Do you think your grandfather will ask about what we did in the morning?" Katherine asked.

Gregory shook his head. "Not if we keep quiet about it," he said. "You think you can do that?"

* * *

"I am _so _glad you agreed to come with me instead of Dad doing it," Laura told Selina as the two of them made their way to Edward's apartment for their first meeting since he'd moved out. "It would have just smacked of overkill if Dad came. Heck, the fact that I even have to have a chaperone in the first place smacks of overkill. No offense."

"None taken," Selina said as they reached the door and Laura knocked. "When I was a girl, that was the common practice. I can remember many afternoons full of awkward silences as we young people were shoved together by our parents in hopes it would make a love match happen." She shuddered. "It was awful. Lucky for me, though, I got someone I actually liked. Granted my mother didn't like him as much, but..." She trailed off as Edward opened the door and Laura shot into his arms and knocked him backwards.

"Well," he said when he could breathe again. "That was an enthusiasm I wasn't expecting."

"Why not?" Laura asked. "Don't you think I've missed you?"

"I would hope you have," Edward said. "I've missed _you_. But it's been nice here, too. Thanks for fixing things with the landlord so that I don't have to pay rent."

"You're welcome," Laura replied.

Then, Edward saw Selina. "Hello, Mrs. Mikaelson," he greeted her. "Did you come to drop Laura off?"

"I have to stay, actually," Selina said, her voice full of regret. "Husband's orders. I promise I'll be quiet though. You won't even know I'm here."

"I don't mind," Edward told her. "Come in. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Yes, thank you," Selina replied, sitting down on Edward's sofa. "Whatever you have is fine."

Edward brought her a glass of ginger ale with ice in it and then the the three of them sat in silence for a little bit before Selina said, "You know what? if you two want to make out, go ahead. I'm not gonna stop you."

"But aren't you here to make sure we _don't_ make out?" Laura asked. "Isn't that the point of a chaperone?"

"Technically yes," Selina nodded. "But your dad's been a big pain in the ass about the pictures lately, so part of me really just wants to stick it to him."

"You mean like when you let Gregory turn into a werewolf and then set him on an unsuspecting populous?" Laura asked.

"Hopefully it won't be as bad as that," Selina said. "As long as you both keep your clothes on, I don't see how something equal to that could happen."

"Not that it's any of my business," Edward said to Selina, "but are you and Mr. Mikaelson having problems?"

"Nothing we've not been through before," Selina told him. "He found a picture of me from when I was in another relationship and apparently, I was supposed to have thrown the pictures away a long time ago. He called me a liar and stuff, and needless to say, we haven't talked much since."

They sat in silence for a few seconds and then Laura said to Edward, "Okay, now that we've exchanged niceties can we go make out? _Please_?"

"Oh, all right," Edward replied. Laura grabbed his hand and pulled him to his room, but she left the door slightly ajar. Selina picked up a magazine that was on Edward's coffee table and sipped her ginger ale. A few seconds later, her phone rang.

"Yes?" She asked.

"You're keeping a close eye on them, aren't you?" Elijah asked. "You're not allowing any funny business?"

"Of course not," Selina told him. "I know you have a desire for Laura to be protected and I respect that."

"Well, good," Elijah said. "I let you go with Laura because I am trying to allow her more independence. Don't do anything stupid that will make me regret that decision."

"You won't regret it," Selina said quietly. "I promise."

"Good," Elijah said. "When you're done there, I want you to come straight home. I took your advice about inviting a friend of mine over to stay for awhile and I want you to meet him."

"Good for you," Selina said. "I can't wait."

* * *

"Will we actually be making out?" Laura asked Edward. "Or do you still feel so guilty about when we had sex that we can't even make out anymore?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Edward replied.

"What if I take off my shirt?" Laura asked.

"Well, that would help," Edward admitted. "But the door is open and your mother is right outside!"

"You heard her say that she didn't care if we made out," Laura told him. "She's not gonna come in here and interrupt us!"

Edward opened his mouth to make another objection, but Laura pounced on him before he had a chance to get any words out. She kissed him deeply and pushed him up against the wall, her hands going down his back. When she finally pulled away, his glasses were steamed over and askew.

"Well," Edward cleared his throat. "That was certainly-that was-I-I think I want another one!" He grabbed her this time, lay her on the bed, and Laura was surprised to feel his hands creep under her shirt. "Naughty, naughty," she said, clicking her tongue. "What would my mother say?"

Edward grinned. "She said as long as we keep our clothes on, it's okay and we still have our clothes on, don't we?"

Feeling his lips on her neck and his hands on the soft skin of her stomach, Laura squirmed. "I wish she hadn't said that," she said. "I really could just let the shirt go right now. Wad it up in a pile by the bed, along with my jeans and my panties..." She tried to keep a squeak from leaving her mouth as she heard him unzip her jeans and slip his fingers underneath them. Then he kissed her again as she threw her arms around his neck. As this continued, Laura felt for sure that her mother was going to come and interrupt them at any minute. But she didn't. Finally, when they were too worn out to kiss anymore, Edward deposited Laura on the floor next to the bed and they worked on straightening out their clothes. They came out of the room just as Selina came out of the bathroom. "Are you two finished? It's been an hour and I'm afraid if I don't have Laura back soon, it will start to look suspicious."

"Yes," Laura breathed. "We're done for now, I think."

"For the moment," Edward agreed.

"Good," Selina smiled. "Great to see you, Edward."

"Bye," Laura said. "I hope I get to come back soon." She gave Edward one last kiss and then followed her mother out to her car. "You kept all your clothes on, didn't you?" Selina asked.

"Yes," Laura said. "No private parts were ever connected with other private parts. I swear. There was touching, but nothing else."

"I think I'll just tell your father we had a good time playing cards," Selina said. "You think he'll believe that?"

"I don't know," Laura said.

They got home and Elijah met them at the door. "Here you are!" He said to Selina. "I wondered when you two were going to come back."

"Why?" Laura asked. "We were only gone for an hour. That's not a long time! We were playing cards!"

"Relax," Elijah said. "I'm not worried. Now you go and get all the homework done that you can before dinner, all right?"

"All right," Laura nodded. She headed to her room and once she was gone, Elijah said, "Ethan's been eager to meet you. He's intrigued by the fact that I said you were different from other women I've dated or been married to."

"Well, look who it is!" A young man with longish dark hair and dark eyes proclaimed. "Selina, I never thought I'd see you again!" He came to kiss her hand and Elijah's eyes widened. "Ethan, stop that!" he commanded. "That's my wife!"

"No!" Ethan replied in surprise. "Really? I wouldn't have expected you to be attracted to her. I mean, she's very pretty, of course, but I always thought you liked much tamer girls."

"Well, the point is, I _am_ attracted to her, and she _is_ my wife, so if you would kindly take your hands off of her..." He looked like he was about to explode. Ethan obligingly let go of Selina's hand. "Relax, would you, old man?"

"Just how do the two of you know each other?" Elijah asked. "Were you lovers? Selina has had no shortage of those."

"For your information," Selina told him, "Ethan was my publisher in the sixties."

"Yep," the young man nodded and gave Elijah a playful punch on the arm. "And lucky for you, there was nothing more to us than that."


	31. Getting Off Scot Free

"Selina?" Elijah said through his teeth. "May I speak to you in private?"

"I think you've upset him," Selina told Ethan, then followed Elijah into their room. Selina waited for him to open his mouth but wasn't surprised when no words came out.

"Are seriously trying to yell at me about this?" She asked. "How in the world is any of this my fault? He's _your_ friend. _You_ invited him without any input from me."

"Well, you might have mentioned that you had an association with him!" Elijah grumbled. "If I'd known, I would have invited someone else!"

"How am I supposed to know who all your friends are?" Selina asked. "You can't expect me to know all that!"

"Did you sleep with him?" Elijah asked.

Selina nodded. "I might have a few times. But I don't see what that has to do with us. We weren't together in the sixties!" She sighed. "I promise I won't let our past relationship affect me," she said. "Cause I'm married to you and I love you, even when you're acting like an ass."

Elijah seemed sad. "Those are beautiful words," he told her. "But I need more than that."

"Like what?" Selina asked. "Sex? In the mood you're in, do you honestly think you'd let me near you that way? Cause I don't. Us having sex now would probably panic you because you'd make yourself all upset thinking about my doing the same thing with Ethan all those years ago! Am I right? Tell me I'm right."

Elijah's mouth became a thin line and instead of answering her, he just turned and strode away. She followed. "I knew it!" She cried. "I _knew _I was right!"

"Well, I have the right to be suspicious," Elijah told her. "It's not like you haven't cheated before."

"I don't understand what's going on now," Selina told him. "You forgave me for what happened with Klaus and we got remarried. Now, you see _one_ picture from that time that I forgot to throw away and suddenly the forgiveness has been revoked and I have to prove myself to you all over again? How is that fair?"

"I shouldn't have to explain it to you," Elijah told her. "When someone does something to hurt someone else, they should be happy to right that wrong, instead of acting incredulous and as if they did nothing wrong."

Selina's jaw dropped. "I don't believe you," she said. "How can you be so...so..." she couldn't think of a good enough description about what he was being. Finally, she sighed. "I'm not gonna do what you want," she said. "Because I don't believe that I did anything wrong, and I also don't believe it's right for you to revoke your kindness because I didn't fulfill a promise that I don't remember making in the first place. We probably have gazillions of pictures around here, so it's not inconceivable that some of the ones from when I was with Klaus may have gotten left behind when I was throwing the rest away. It doesn't mean that I'm mocking you or that I love him any. It just means that I'm forgetful. You should accept that and forgive me."

"No," Elijah said firmly. "I don't think I can. Not now, anyway."

"Fine," Selina nodded. "Then I'll ease your pain by saving you from having to look at such a horrible betrayer as myself day in and day out. I ran into your sister at the bakery the other day, and she told me that if things ever got difficult between you and me, I could go stay with her. I think I'll take her up on her offer."

"Good!" Elijah called as Selina turned away. "I hope you enjoy yourself in your new dwelling. I know I'll have a much better time here!"

Growling, Selina went and threw some things in a suitcase, then gave Anna a call.

"It's happened," she said when Anna answered. "He's pushed me too far. Does that offer to stay with you still stand?"

"It depends," Anna replied. "Are you planning on having any other relationships while you stay with me as a way to get back at my brother?"

"No!" Selina shook her head. "I'm trying to show him once and for all that I'm trustworthy, so why would I have affairs, no matter how angry I am with him?"

"Good answer," Anna replied. "I'll see you when you get here."

"Oh, and one more thing," Selina added before Anna hung up. "I'm watching Lenora's kids at the moment. Can I bring them with me? I don't want Elijah to be stuck in a house with evidence of my relationship with Klaus when I'm not here. There's only two of them. Possibly three if Margaret doesn't want to be separated from Henry."

"Sure," Anna replied. "We've got a big house. Why not?"

"Thanks," Selina told her. "You're a life saver." She went into Susanna's room and picked up her and her things, and then they went to see Henry. She was not surprised to find Margaret with him.

"Hi," Margaret greeted her mother. "What brings you here?"

Selina struggled to answer her in a way that wouldn't be lying. Finally, she cleared her throat and said, "your daddy wants to spend some quality time with his friend, so I was thinking of taking Henry and Susanna to your aunt Anna's for a couple of days. Would you like to come?"

"Why just Susanna and me?" Henry asked. "Why not everyone?"

Selina sighed, looking regretfully at Margaret. "Margaret's father and I are needing some time away from each other," she said. "And I think he'd feel better about me faster if the only people in his house were related more closely to him than his brother. It's complicated. Please don't make me explain any more than that. So, Margaret, do you want to come, or not?"

"Why can't I just tell Daddy to love you again?" Margaret asked. "I bet if I asked him to, he would."

"Well, that's not really fair to him," Selina told her. "He's feeling very hurt right now, and no matter how unreasonable his anger might be, the kindest thing is to allow him to work through it, rather than to force it to go away because it makes us unhappy."

"All right," Margaret sighed. "I guess I'll come."

At this, Henry's eyes lit up and he gave Margaret a hug. "I'm so happy you're coming with us!" He said. "You would miss me too much if you didn't." He started pulling dresses out of her closet and throwing them on the floor.

"Hey!" Margaret cried, her eyes wide as she watched. "What are you _doing_? You're gonna make everything all wrinkly! _Stop_!"

"I'm packing for you," Henry told her. "I'm being helpful."

"Not really," Margaret said. "I don't even have a suitcase yet. You're just throwing things on the floor and making a mess."

"I'll get you a suitcase," Selina said. She came back with it a few minutes later. then Margaret began picking clothes up, folding them, and putting them in the suitcase. "_This _is how you're supposed to do it," Selina heard Margaret tell Henry as she left the room. "See?" After everything was put in suitcases, Elijah appeared as Selina and the kids made their way to the door.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I think we need to take a break from each other," Selina told him. "You're mad at me and I want to give you time to work through it, so I'm taking Henry, Susanna, and Margaret and we're gonna stay with your sister until you feel better."

"Why are _you_ going?" Elijah asked Margaret. "You don't have to leave. I'm not mad at _you_."

"But I don't like seeing you and Mommy fight," Margaret told him. "And Mommy says I'm not supposed to ask you to love her again, so I'm gonna go be with Henry until you're not mad at Mommy anymore." She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye, Daddy."

They left, and when they were gone, Elijah went in search of Laura.

"What's wrong with you?" Laura asked when she saw him.

"Margaret left," Elijah replied, sitting down on her bed. "She said she was upset by how mad I was at your mother and wanted to go be with Henry until I wasn't mad anymore." He paused. "But I have a _right_ to be mad!" He said. "Don't you think?"

"What I say doesn't matter," Laura told him. "If you wanna be mad, you're gonna be mad, but personally, I think you're making _way_ too much of a fuss over a picture that isn't even recent. So she forgot to throw it away. Who cares? She got rid of the majority of them, she hasn't gone near Uncle Klaus since you two married again, and she went through having freaking _triplets_ for you! If that's not love, I don't know what is. Why are you punishing her and not allowing her to make things up to you?"

"I'll allow her to make amends," Elijah replied. "In time."

"Amends for what?" Laura asked. "She didn't do anything wrong, or at least not that she knows! Remember that thanks to your father, she basically has amnesia about your entire relationship. She was probably planning to finish destroying all the pictures of her time with Uncle Klaus, but when her memory got wiped, she forgot to. That is_ not _something you should blame her for."

"That's enough," Elijah told her. "I'm sure you have some sort of homework to do, or something. Make yourself useful and do it." He turned to leave and Laura shouted after him, "If you don't want people's honest opinions, Daddy, don't ask for them!"

As Elijah headed away from Laura's room, he ran into Ethan. "Hello," Ethan told him. "Are you all right? I saw Selina heading out with a trio of children and some suitcases."

"Not really," Elijah told him. "Tell me, Ethan: Just what did your relationship with Selina consist of? Were you intimate with her?"

"Well, yes, sometimes," Ethan nodded. "Usually after we finished a day of book promotion, we'd have a bottle of wine and then head to bed." Suddenly something occurred to him. "You and she weren't a couple then, were you? If you were, you were never around and she never mentioned it."

"No, I wasn't with her then," Elijah told him. "But if you think you can resume your former relationship with her _now_, you're sorely mistaken."

"Calm down!" Ethan replied, backing away from Elijah, his good humor disappearing. "I completely respect the fact that she's with you, all right?"

"You just make sure you keep thinking that way," Elijah told him. "Otherwise, you'll be very sorry." He then strode off to get in his car and drive around to try and calm himself down. No one understood what he was going through, nor did they sympathize. What would it take to get people on his side? Did that even matter? Finally, he decided it didn't, and instead of going home, he spent the night at a hotel by himself, drinking, watching porn on TV, and ordering endless room service.

* * *

"Ethan?" Selina asked in surprise when she opened Anna and her husband Jim's front door to see Ethan on the other side. "What brings you here?" She paused as Ethan started a bit. "What?"

"Sorry," Ethan told her, looking at Susanna, whom she held. "I'm just not used to seeing you with young children."

"This is Susanna," Selina said as she ushered Ethan inside. "She's my great-granddaughter, if you'll believe that."

"No," Ethan replied with a grin. "Really?"

"Yep," Selina nodded. "Really. So what's up?"

"I'm worried about Elijah," Ethan told her. "He left the house in a huff a few days ago and hasn't come back. Your daughter has had to watch your younger children, and she was even contemplating calling her brother to come help."

"Really?" Selina asked in surprise. "Elijah just up and left and no one knows where he is? That doesn't seem like him at all."

Ethan shrugged. "What can I tell you? Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"No," Selina said. "But with the fit he's having right now, even if we _could_ find him, there'd be no point in trying to get him to come back. He won't come until he chooses to."

Ethan nodded. "Right," he said. "I suppose there wouldn't be any point." He paused. "This might not be the best time to say what I'm going to say," he said. "But...what are you doing with yourself these days? I believe that before he lost his mind, Elijah mentioned something about you having a bakery?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I have a bakery. It's not, like, super famous, but I do a good business."

"Cause I was thinking," Ethan continued, "That maybe we could set you up writing a series of dessert cookbooks. Or maybe even get you a cooking show! What do you think?"

"Oh, Ethan," Selina sighed. "You don't know how much I would love that. But I'm already on thin ice with my husband and it's possible that a cookbook or a TV show might get me in hot water."

"Why?" Ethan asked.

"Because Elijah takes offense when I spend a lot of time away from him," Selina said. "And then he gets pouty and annoying just like he's being right now, and that's something I prefer to avoid."

"You shouldn't let him dictate how you live your life," Ethan told her. "If you want a cooking show or a cookbook series, I can make that happen. Do you want it?"

"You know I do," Selina replied. "But-"

"No 'buts'," Ethan replied. "I'll make some calls and see what I can do about finding you a publisher for the cookbooks."

"Aren't _you_ a publisher?" Selina asked him.

"I was," Ethan nodded. "But I've decided to manage people now. It gives me more of a rush." He paused. "So, one last time: do you want to do the cookbooks?"

"Sure," Selina nodded. "I'd love to."

"Great!" Ethan replied. "Let me go and make the calls and we'll start the whole process."

"Wow," Anna said to Selina once Ethan was gone. "You know Elijah will have an even worse fit about this once he finds out, right?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I know he will. But in all honesty, I don't feel bad, because like Ethan said, I have to stop letting Elijah dictate how I live my life as long as I'm not having an affair or harming anyone. I think doing a cookbook series will be fun, and if Elijah doesn't like it, that's his problem."

"And I hate to mention this," Anna continued. "But didn't Ethan say that poor Laura is home by herself with the rest of your kids? Don't you think you should go and give her a break, since Elijah's not there anymore?"

"Yeah," Selina decided. "I'd better."

"And I'll come with you," Anna told her. "Jim's on a camping trip, so I need something to occupy my time." She left her husband a note by the phone and they loaded Margaret. Henry, and Susanna back in the car.

"We weren't there very long," Henry pointed out.

"Maybe that means Daddy is better and wants us to come home!" Margaret replied with excitement.

"No," Selina shook her head. "I'm afraid your father has run off somewhere. But I'm sure he'll be back soon. We're just going home so Laura won't be alone with your brothers and sister."

"Oh," Margaret said sadly, her mouth drooping. She reached out for Henry and held onto him until they got home.

They got back to the house and spent the rest of the day unpacking, and that night, after Selina finally persuaded a sad Margaret to leave Henry's room, she tucked him in.

"Do you think my mommy and daddy will fight the way you and Uncle Elijah are fighting?" Henry asked.

"I don't think that will happen," Selina assured him, brushing his hair from his eyes. "Your mom and dad's relationship is nowhere _near_ as complicated as the one I have with Elijah. In fact, I bet your mother and father are together and happy right this minute."

"Really?" Henry asked.

"Really," Selina nodded.

* * *

"Do you really think my grandmother will send me to jail or take away my powers?" Lenora asked James. "I really hope she wouldn't. The only reason why she did it to my mom is because she was a danger to herself and others. My situation was not the same. Do you think what I did was stupid and that I should have just let my dad be killed?"

"Not if you don't feel he should be," James told her. "If you think there's any love left in him, I think you should try and ease it out, because you never know."

"Yeah," Lenora nodded. "But at the same time, I feel like such an idiot, you know? He let me down most of my life and here I am sticking up for him in return!"

"You're a bigger person," James said. "That's good. Speaking from personal experience, sometimes people act out when they feel the people they love have betrayed them, and it makes them do the most awful things. Now, I'm not excusing anything your father did, of course. Really, there *was* no excuse for him abandoning your mother. He could have talked things out with her, instead of waiting until everything exploded like it did. But he didn't and now everything is a mess. But in regards to your grandmother, I agree that things can't be as bad as you think. I'm sure everything will work out all right."

Lenora nodded. "I just want her to give me my sentence, and then we're done, all right? I want to leave and let Mom and Dad do a battle royale to the death for all I care. I'm tired of being put in the middle of their problems. I'm not gonna be their mediator anymore!"

James brightened. "Does that mean we're going home soon? Good. I'm beginning to be sick of this place, if you can believe that."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Lenora nodded. "This is supposed to be one of the most exciting cities in the country and I've had the lousiest time. Of course, we haven't had time to actually have fun because you've been working and I've been dealing with my crazy parents. Maybe soon, we should go on another_ real_ vacation, just us, no work or nutty parents involved."

"Good idea," James told her. "I'm gonna start packing our things so we can get out of here as quickly as possible once your grandmother acquits you."

"How do you know that will happen?" Lenora asked. "She could very well be coming to haul me off to jail!"

"Don't think like that!" James ordered her. "Think positive. Think that some ace in the hole will show up to guarantee a positive outcome. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Lenora rolled her eyes. "I guess. Although I don't know what ace in the hole could possibly show up here."

* * *

The doorbell rang sometime later and Lenora got up to answer it, wondering who it could be. When she opened the door, she groaned, moving to shut it, but Adrian blocked it from closing. "What do you want?" She asked her father, with a sigh. "I don't think I want to talk to you."

"Has your grandmother shown up yet?" Adrian asked. "How much trouble are you in?"

Lenora shrugged. "I haven't seen her yet, but I'll probably lose my powers, thanks to you," she said. "Do you even _realize_ the consequences of what you've done?"

"I have some idea," Adrian told her. "That boyfriend of yours told me, remember?"

"Do you even _care_ what might be done to me?" Lenora asked. "All of this could happen to me because of_ you_! I know you hate the fact that I have powers and used them against you too much when I was a kid, but I shouldn't have to pay for that! What did you think you would gain by coming here anyway?"

Adrian sighed. "I thought...I thought that if your grandmother hadn't showed up already, I'd like to be here to stick up for you when she did."

"Well, what a nice gesture," Lenora retorted. "But you_ do _realize that this whole mess could have been avoided if you would have just held on to your temper and left everyone alone?"

"They were plotting to kill me!" Adrian said. "How can you just expect me to let it go?"

"I shouldn't have to expect anything of you!" Lenora told him. "You should be able to find it in yourself to do the right thing. But I guess that urge has left you. I guess you don't care to do the right thing anymore."

"This lecture would be more meaningful to me if your mother was getting it also," Adrian replied. "She's behaved just as badly as I have."

"Last I checked, she hasn't actually killed anyone," Lenora told him darkly. "You have."

"But she plotted against me," Adrian pointed out. "Shouldn't that count for something?"

"Well, not to sound harsh here," Lenora said. "But I would have been angrier with her if you'd actually died and not retaliated. That way, for once in your life, you'd actually have been the victim, instead of victimizing other people like you always do."

"It's nice to hear your child say they'd rather have you be dead than alive," Adrian told her.

"I already apologized for being harsh, but you _do_ know what I'm saying, right?" Lenora told him. "Retaliation is not always the answer. Now, if only Mom had been hurt by your attack, then _maybe _ I'd be willing to look the other way, but the people you killed were innocent of doing something to you. Plotting to kill you is not the same as _actually_ killing you, and given all the crap you've put the witches here through since you came, can you blame them for retaliating or at least thinking about it?"

"Am I interrupting something?" James asked before Adrian could reply. He gave Adrian a glare. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I let him in," Lenora said. "He says he wants to help when Grandma gets here."

"I doubt he'll be able to do much, seeing as he's not the sort to do the honorable thing and take the blame for what he did instead of letting it all be piled on you," he told Lenora. "Pathetic thing for a man to do, really. Especially to his own daughter."

Lenora peered over at Adrian and saw his hands ball into fists and his eyes narrow. "Daddy..." she said warningly. "Don't. Remember what we said about not retaliating. This could be the first step on a good path for you."

But before Adrian could say anything, there was a knock on the door. "I hope that's Grandma," Lenora said out loud as she ran for the door. "Please be Grandma." She opened the door and was so relieved to see Astrid that she threw her arms around her, forgetting for a moment that she could very well be about to be arrested and rendered powerless.

"Well," Astrid said when Lenora finally pulled away. "That was a surprising greeting."

"I just..." Lenora gestured at James and Adrian who were staring daggers at each other. "I'm grateful for the distraction." She got James and Adrian to focus, but before she could say anything, Adrian stood up. "Don't punish her," he said. "She didn't do anything but protect me, and I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong with protecting your family."

"There's not," Astrid replied, shaking her head. "And I wasn't planning on punishing Lenora. She would have been all right even without that touching speech, Adrian."

"Good!" Adrian replied. "Now that we know Lenora isn't in trouble, why don't you go cuff that crazy daughter of yours and throw her away along with the key?"

"Why would I do that?" Astrid asked. "She didn't do anything wrong. It was all your doing. If she'd actually had time to harm anyone, even you, that would have been grounds for Helene to be punished, but since you took things into your own hands, she's the one who will get away free while you have lots to answer for."

"So you're telling me that people get off scot-free for threatening my life because I was smart enough to defend myself?" Adrian asked, aghast. "That's not fair, is it?"

"Well, maybe life isn't fair," Astrid told him. "Maybe you should think about that before you murder any more people."

"But you can't punish me," Adrian told her. "I'm not a witch."

"Oh, but I have connections," Astrid said. "I assure you that I can find a way to make you pay your debt to magical society. I promise."

"Just one thing, though," Lenora said.

"What?" Astrid asked.

"Don't kill him," Lenora requested. " He can't pay the piper for eternity if he's dead."

Astrid nodded. "Now that you know you're not going to be punished," she said to Lenora, "what are you going to do?"

"We're going home to see our kids," Lenora said. "And not that I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth here, cause I'm really glad not to be in trouble, but why spare me?"

"You were sticking up for your family as your father said," Astrid told her. "And we don't punish that. Even if the family you're protecting is someone who's done things as bad as your father has done. You'd do the same for your mother, I hope?"

"Well, yeah," Lenora nodded. "Of course."

"Good," Astrid nodded. "Be careful getting home, and tell your children that I say 'Hello'. I haven't seen your grandfather in awhile. Maybe I should do that. I think it would be a nice surprise for him. Don't you?"


	32. Leaping Before You Look

Thankfully, even after several days, Mikael had said nothing about Gregory and Katherine's murder spree.

"It's cause we kept quiet about it," Gregory told Katherine one morning. "I told you that if we did, he wouldn't bother us."

"Actually," Mikael replied, standing at the door, "I am fully aware of what the two of you did, but I have bigger problems than a pair of drunken vampires that thrill-killed once."

"Really?" Gregory asked. "What could be worse than us?"

"Down near where your parents live, someone is stirring things up," Mikael told them. "There's a very high death rate down there. Maybe I'll finally be able to catch your mother in the act!"

"You're still trying to catch her?" Katherine asked. "That's a bit single-minded, isn't it?"

Mikael turned. "Gregory's mother made me feel like a fool," he replied. "And I'm in no mood to forgive that. _Ever_."

The silence in the room was palpable. Then Gregory said, "I have to check out the girls at the shelter. Katherine, would you like to come with me?"

"Sure," Katherine nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

When they reached the shelter, everything was in a rush. People were yelling and screaming and running every which way.

"Louise!" Gregory cried, stopping the older woman. "I'm here now. What's going on? What's everyone panicking for?"

"Anna had a little accident and that started her labor," Louise replied. "She's in her room now and no one knows what to do."

Gregory slapped a hand to his forehead. "Why didn't anyone drive her to the hospital? I would have thought that that would have been an obvious next step!"

"You know I can't drive," Louise told him. "And she neglected to tell us what was happening until things got really bad. By the way, how has your vacation been going? Nicely, I hope?"

"Why didn't anyone call?" Katherine asked. "We would have gotten here a lot quicker if we'd known this was going on."

"It doesn't matter," Gregory told her. "Let's just get Anna in the car and do the best we can to get her to the hospital before anything happens."

"If you ask me, it's already happened," Katherine replied as the two of them ran to Anna's room. They were able to get her out to Gregory's car and were speeding along toward the hospital quite nicely until they encountered a traffic jam. "Oh, fuck," Gregory muttered. "What a perfect time for this to happen."

Anna let out a shriek that caused Katherine to wince. "Would you mind keeping it down?" She asked. "I don't want to go deaf!"

"Katherine!" Gregory reproved her. "The woman is in labor. Give her a break!"

Katherine scoffed. "I've been in labor too," she said. "And you can do it without yelling, I've heard. Silence is also doable."

"Maybe to you!" Anna said, and yelled again. "I can feel it coming! We have to get it out right now!"

Shutting his eyes and taking off his suit jacket, Gregory squeezed into the backseat and, quicker than he thought, he and Katherine together had delivered Anna's baby. Panting, the young woman sat up as Gregory held the child, a little girl with a spatter of dark hair.

"Should we go to the hospital now?" Anna asked.

"Yeah," Gregory sighted and handed the baby over. "You hold her and I'll try to find another way there because I don't think this jam is gonna clear up any time soon."

The occupants of the car were mostly silent en route to the hospital, until Anna made a startling declaration. She looked down at the little girl in her arms and said quietly, "I was gonna give her to an adoption agency when she was born, but now I've made a different decision."

"What?" Gregory asked. "Do you want to keep her?"

"No, I can't," Anna replied, kissing her head. "No matter how much I want to. But would you two? Would _you _raise my baby?"

"_What_?" Katherine and Gregory asked at the same time.

"It's all right if you don't want to," Anna replied. "It's just that...I think you two would be good parents is all. And you're nice people, too. You'd give her a good home."

"I don't know what gave you the idea we'd be good parents," Katherine told her. "I don't think I've done _anything_ to give that indication."

"Come on!" Gregory said with a grin. "We could do it!"

Katherine sighed. "Gregory, this is a_ baby_, not a puppy, all right? Don't just go say 'Yes' to this before you've really thought it through."

Gregory nodded. "But I have. For awhile now. And don't tell me there's not a small part of you that wants to as well."

"What would make you assume that?" Katherine asked stiffly. "Because I'm a woman and to you, women automatically should want to have babies?"

Gregory scoffed and shook his head. "If I thought that, or said it out loud, my mother would slap me upside the head!" He paused. "But come on. You told me you had to give up a child once. Here's your second chance."

Katherine sighed. "Fine," she said. "You can be a parent and bring the kid home with you. But just know she's _your_ responsibility."

"Yeah," Gregory nodded. "I get that. I know." They reached the hospital and took Anna and the baby inside, and after they got checked out and pronounced healthy by a doctor, she told Anna that she'd have to stay for a day or two of observation.

"All right," Anna nodded. "But I want my baby to go with those two." She indicated Katherine and Gregory. "They've agreed to adopt her."

The doctor muttered something about paperwork and once Anna was safely set up in her room, he compelled the woman to forget all about the paperwork, and, after they promised to see Anna the next day, they took the baby home with them, along with a starting supply of diapers and formula.

"Where do you expect to put her?" Katherine asked. "We don't even have a bed or anything for her yet! You disappoint me. You're usually so good about thinking stuff like this through!"

"I have it under control," Gregory told her. "I'll just call my mother. After six of us, she's bound to have _some_ baby stuff lying around the house collecting dust." He proffered the baby in Katherine's direction. "You hold her while I go talk to my mother," he said. "And don't you drop her."

Katherine sat down on the sofa and held out her arms. "Fine," she said. "Give her here." Gregory handed the little baby over and went to call Selina and tell her the good news.

"How in the world did you have a kid?" Selina asked. "Katherine can't!"

"We adopted her," Gregory replied. "She's the baby of one of my shelter girls."

"And you didn't do that because you're the father, right?" Selina asked. "Is _that_ why you're so anxious to raise a child all of a sudden?"

"_What_?" Gregory asked, shocked by the question. "No, Mother! Of course not! Well, legally I'm now the father, but the baby's not biologically mine. She's human, which I admit will be an interesting challenge to deal with after awhile, but I can do it. Why did you even ask that question?"

"I'm your mother!" Selina replied. "I had to! Your father's been in the same situation before a couple of times. I mean, I only know of one, but I'm sure there have been others too."

"Would you come over and bring a bed and clothes and stuff?" Gregory asked. "I'm sure you have that lying around the house somewhere."

"Well, yeah, I do," Selina replied. "But you can't expect me to do everything for you,"

"You don't have to," Gregory told her. "I have it under control. And thanks for bringing the stuff over."

"No problem," Selina told him. "I can't say I really agree with this scheme of yours, but if you feel you're ready to be a parent, I'll support you."

"Thank you," Gregory replied. "We'll see you in a little bit." He hung up and went in the direction of the living room. He was about to go all the way in when he, to his surprise, saw Katherine behaving somewhat affectionately toward the child. Fearing that would stop if she knew he'd seen, he just stood hidden and peering out from behind the kitchen wall. After he let this go on for a bit, he stepped out and softly cleared his throat. As he suspected, Katherine let out a gasp at the sight of him and revered back to her usual emotionless self. "Here," she said, handing him the baby. "Is your mom coming?"

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "In a little bit." He paused. "What do you think we should name her?"

Katherine shrugged. "I don't know. You pick. She's _your_ baby."

Gregory looked down at her for a moment and finally said, "Elizabeth. Elizabeth Alexandra Mikaelson."

* * *

James and Lenora called Selina to tell her they were coming home, but told her not to tell the kids because they wanted their appearance to be a surprise.

"All right," Selina agreed. "We'll be here when you get here, but just to warn you, your Uncle Elijah isn't here. We're taking a break from each other."

"I'm sorry," Lenora told her. "That sucks. I won't ask for more details cause that's between you and him, but I'm sorry. We'll see you and the kids in a few minutes."

When they arrived at Selina's, she sat them down on the couch and went to get Susanna and Henry, who was with Margaret. The three kids followed Selina into the living room and when they saw Lenora and James, they were visibly pleased. Susanna's eyes widened and she reached out to James, yelling "Papa! Papa!" and tried to squirm out of Selina's grasp. Selina let her go and James grinned down at her. "Hello, Monster," he said, giving her a kiss and taking her into his arms.

Henry gave Lenora a hug, and then Lenora said, "Are you two ready to go?"

"Yes," Henry nodded. "I have to do one thing first." He went up to Margaret and smiled. "Goodbye," he said, and kissed her on the cheek. When he pulled away, her face twisted. "EWWWW!" She cried, rubbing her cheek furiously. "I'm all wet! Don't _do_ that!"

"It's what Daddy does to you," Henry said, looking at Lenora uncertainly. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You're at the age where kissing each other is not something that kids like, I think," Lenora told him. "Maybe you should wait until you're older to do it again."

"All right," Henry nodded and took Margaret's hand, shaking it. "I'm sorry," He said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Henry," Margaret replied. She was flushed deep red and avoiding his eyes. Once Henry and his family left, Margaret ran to her room and shut the door. A few minutes later, she answered a knock and let a widely grinning Annaliese come in.

"What do you want?" Margaret asked.

"I just wanted to tell you that since a boy kissed you, you have cooties now," Annaliese replied.

"No, I don't!" Margaret shook her head. "There's no such thing as cooties!"

"How do _you _know?" Annaliese replied. "Lots of people think there's no such thing as vampires and here we are! So that means cooties can be real!"

"Leave my room please," Margaret told her. "Or else I'll tell Mommy and Daddy and they will _make_ you leave!"

"Okay, okay!" Annaliese replied, backing out the door. "I was just trying to warn you, but if you want to be covered with cooties, that's not my problem."

She left and Margaret sighed and tucked herself into her bed, staying that way until Selina came to get her for dinner.

* * *

"Are you all right?" Lenora asked when she came to tuck Henry into bed that night. "You've hardly said a word since we got back."

"Yeah," Henry said, his voice morose. "I'm fine."

"Are you still upset about Margaret and the kiss?" Lenora asked. "It's all right. You told her you were sorry. Don't let it eat you up inside."

"But I _like_ her!" Henry yelled. "And I made her _sad!_ That makes _me_ sad!"

"I know," Lenora told him. "But stop yelling, please. You don't want to wake up your sister."

"She probably hates me now!" Henry said and dramatically shoved his face into his pillow, refusing to look at his mother. Lenora tried to get another sensible word out of him, but it was impossible. Finally, she just kissed the back of his head, told him goodnight, and shut his bedroom door.

"I think Henry's still having a hard time about what happened with Margaret," she told James as she got in bed next to him. "Would you talk to him about that?"

James rolled his eyes. "I can't believe he's upset by that. I'd already kissed girls by the time I was his age and it didn't bother me a bit!"

"Oh, _really_?" Lenora asked with interest. "How many?"

James shrugged. "I don't know. They just lined up and I lost track after awhile."

Lenora rolled her eyes. "It's a shame they didn't have chapstick in the 1700s. It sounds like you could have used it."

"Are you jealous?" James asked.

"Are you trying to _make_ me jealous?" Lenora replied. "Cause it's not working."

"It's not?" James asked. "Damn, that's disappointing. Actually, I was not trying to make you jealous. I was trying to impress you with my prowess. I had this idea that you'd be so proud of my immense talent that you'd be overcome with the urge to kiss and/or do other things to my body?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at her hopefully.

"I'll make you a deal," Lenora told him. "You never brag shamelessly about all the girls you've kissed again and I'll do things to you."

James grinned. "So you _are_ jealous!"

"Maybe," Lenora pouted. "Just a little."

"Oh, come here," James took her into his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Lenora smiled as she hugged him. "You dork," she said. "You don't need to impress me. I'm already impressed."

James shook his head. "That's no excuse to stop trying," he said, and she let out a shriek as he pulled her under him, stripped off her clothes and pushed into her again and again and again.

* * *

"I don't know how to feel," Laura told Edward as they both sat on her bed and he ran his fingers through her hair, which had streaks of neon green in the dark strands that week. "On the one hand, I like having you here, but on the other, it's only possible because Dad's gone, and he and Mom are fighting."

"Do you know what about?" Edward asked. "Not me, I hope?"

"No," Laura shook her head. "They're way past you. It's something about an old friend of Dad's who's visiting, and some picture of Mom that Dad found that was taken when she was with my uncle. She'd promised him she was gonna get rid of all of those photos, but Grandpa wiped that memory from her head before she had a chance to finish the job." Laura sighed. "I don't understand my dad at all sometimes. I mean, I know he and Mom have had problems, but he forgave her before, and refuses to do it now. It doesn't make any sense." She paused. "If you and I were married and I wanted to do something outside of our house, would you let me?"

"Well, of course," Edward nodded. "Of course I'll let you pursue your own interests when we're married. Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," Laura shrugged. "I'm just checking." She sighed and leaned against him. "I miss my daddy. I don't know what happened to make him run away."

"I'm sure he didn't run away forever," Edward assured her. "He'll come back. Maybe he just has wild oats he needs to sow."

"No, no," Laura shook his head. "If my father ever_ had_ any wild oats, he sowed them a thousand years ago. As long as I've known him, he's been about nothing but commitment."

"Well, people change," Edward told her. "Or maybe since he's so old, this is some sort of midlife crisis."

Laura smiled at that. "When men have midlife crises, they usually get a younger woman. My mom's pretty young for my dad as it is."

"Well maybe it's not a midlife crisis then," Edward shrugged. "Why don't you just ask your mom? I'm sure she'll tell you."

Sighing, Laura got up off the bed and went in search of Selina to do just that. She went to Elijah's office, which Selina was now using to write her first dessert cookbook, and knocked on the door. "Can I come in?" She called. "Or are you busy?"

"You can come in!" Selina called back. "Go ahead."

Laura came in and approached the desk where Selina sat. "Where did dad go?" She asked. "Is he having a midlife crisis? Do you think he's gonna come back with a younger woman?"

"It's not a midlife crisis," Selina assured her. "Your father is just upset that I want to have hobbies of my own that he's not involved in and it's making him have a tantrum. That's all. I'm sure he'll come back eventually. It's not the first time he's done this."

"Aren't you worried about where he is?" Laura asked. "Don't you think you should go look for him?"

"Laura, honey," Selina began. "I know you miss your father and want him to come back. I do too. But he's just as stubborn as we are, and unless I promise him that I'm gonna give up this cookbook deal and continue to be his housefrau/babymaker and do nothing else for the rest of eternity, I don't think he'll be coming back any time soon."

"You shouldn't promise him that," Laura told her.

Selina nodded. "Of course I won't. But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to at least go out and look for him so we know where he is." She stopped writing and put the piece of paper she was writing on in a drawer. "Do you want to come, or do you want to stay here with Edward?"

"I think I'll stay here with Edward," Laura replied. "It might be easier to look for Dad by yourself anyway."

"All right," Selina nodded. "I'll try to make it quick and be back soon, all right?"

Laura nodded. "All right."

Selina left, got in her car, and drove around It was early afternoon on a weekday the kids had off from school, so there was plenty of light left. She didn't see anyone she recognized until she found herself back at the rundown apartment building where she'd stayed when she'd first lost her memory. She had no idea why Elijah would come _here, _ but something made her stop. She parked the car next to the building and got out, following the sounds of shouting and fighting that were not unusual for a rundown area like this. To her surprise, one of the men was a vampire, and the ground was littered with bodies of his other victims. He clamped down on his opponent's throat and began sucking greedily. Selina watched in horrified fascination for awhile before the vampire finally realized that she was looking and brought his head up. His mouth was covered in blood, his face was dirty, his hair was overlong, but despite all that, shock coursed through Selina's body when she realized that the vampire was Elijah. "See anything you like, beautiful?" He asked, smiling. Blood ran out of his mouth and dribbled down his chin. She ran over and tried to pull him off of the man. "What are you_ doing_?" She asked. "You _never_ kill people out in the open. Or even in private. You hate that!"

"Maybe I _did_ once," he said, throwing the man down. "But what does that matter now? What has that gotten me?" He picked up the man again and offered him to her. "Have a taste," he said. "I know you like it."

Selina was watching him steadily. "I am both confused and aroused right now," she said. He chuckled. "Have a taste," he repeated.

Selina scooped up some blood with her finger and was about to put it to her mouth when she shook her head. "No!" She cried. "I can't! This is some sort of test, isn't it? You want to trick me into feeding on people so you can say I'm more morally degenerate than I was before, and use that as an excuse to further shut me out and keep me away from your bed! That's what's going on, isn't it?"

A grin spread over Elijah's face. "So histrionic," he replied, holding her chin in his fingers. "So typically female. If you want to be with me, all you have to do is ask and you shall receive." He then took her in his arms and they kissed deeply once, and again, and again. After she pulled away a third time, he picked her up and carried her toward the apartment building. "I'm taking you to my bed," he said.

"Why?" Selina asked. "Why not just stay out here?" She was panting and her cheeks were flushed.

Elijah grimaced. "On the dirty ground, surrounded by dead bodies?" he asked. "I thought you knew me better than that!"

Selina waited until they were in his room to reply. Before he could begin to undress, she shook her head and backed away. "I love you, and I love sleeping with you," she began. "And believe me, I'm _way_ overdue for a tumble in bed, but the Elijah I sleep with is a guy who smells like soap and mint and fancy cologne, and wears suits all the time, okay? He doesn't smell like cheap beer, cigarette smoke, and sweat and wear clothes that haven't been washed in who knows how long. If you ever are able to be the man I and our kids love again, give me a call." Then she turned, and ignoring Elijah's yelling about how cruel it was to arouse him and just leave him like that, left the apartment, slammed the door behind her, and drove home.


	33. I Can't Fight This Feeling

Selina and Alistair drove up to the apartment building where Elijah was staying and parked. "Are you sure this is the place?" Alistair asked, looking at the ramshackle building. "You can't be serious!"

"I am, unfortunately," Selina replied. "I was just driving by here and I saw him. He was fighting with a man, and he killed him, adding him to the pile of several bodies, who were presumably also his victims. He's out of control and I thought you could help. Just a warning, though: He hasn't bathed in a while, nor has he washed his clothes."

"Sounds like you could have called me sooner," Alistair replied.

"I would have, believe me," Selina told him. "But I didn't know until now."

"Oh, well," Alistair sighed. "Better late than never, I guess." He got out of the car, and after Selina drove away, he steeled himself to go inside the building. He began looking for someone to tell him where Elijah lived when he felt a palm hit his back and send him tumbling to the floor. "Alistair!" a familiar voice said. Alistair scrambled to his feet and looked at the figure near him. "Elijah?" He asked the shaggy-haired figure whose face was obscured by facial hair and who wore unwashed clothes. "Is that you? Selina warned me you'd be a bit..." he sniffed. "..._pungent_." His nose wrinkled. "What's happened to you?"

"I've decided to make a little life change," Elijah said. "Selina doesn't want me anymore. She wants riches, and fame, and my former best friend Ethan, and I've come to the conclusion that I'll no longer stand in her way."

"No," Alistair said. "She still wants you. Maybe not looking like _this_, but she does, which is why I'm here. She told me she was concerned for your state of mind and I've come to help you."

Elijah's eyebrow went up. "You came at Selina's request?" He asked.

"Yes," Alistair nodded. "Apparently, seeing you in this condition made her worried sick and after seeing you, I don't blame her."

"_Did _it make her worried sick?" Elijah asked. "Could it be that she really cares for me after all? Because I _know_ that you, of all people, wouldn't say that just to manipulate me. You always tell me the truth."

"Of course," Alistair nodded. "So does that mean you're willing to come with me, clean yourself up, and give your relationship with Selina another chance?"

Elijah nodded. "I guess," he said. "I guess I can give her another chance. But only because you asked me to."

"_Right_," Alistair nodded with a grin. "Of course. Only because I asked." He then herded Elijah into his car and they drove back to see Selina.

* * *

"So you sent Alistair to look after Dad, right?" Laura asked Selina.

"Yeah," Selina nodded, sitting down. "I did. I don't know how long it will be until he comes back, though. If he ever will." She sighed. "I really do miss him and I'm sorry this had to get as bad as it did."

"Me too," Laura nodded. "Thanks for letting Edward come and stay. It makes Dad being gone less painful."

"I didn't realize you missed your dad that much," Selina said in surprise. "Maybe I could get _you _to talk to him sometime if it doesn't work out with Alistair . That might just change his mind. He's not pissed off at you at the moment."

"True," Laura nodded. "On a completely different topic, why did you bring all that baby stuff over to Gregory and Katherine's?"

"It seems you have a niece now," Selina said. "One of your brother's shelter girls gave birth to her and your father has it in his head that he wants to be a parent. I'm not so sure he's ready, but I promised I'd support him."

"Well, if any of the six of us were gonna be a parent, Gregory is the best fit, I think," Laura said. But I don't know what he was thinking having Katherine be the mother figure. I feel sorry for the kid because of that alone."

"I have my doubts about her suitability around children as well, but who knows? Maybe your brother will be a good influence on her. When I was a girl, I never thought I'd be the type to have children or even be the_ slightest _bit domestic, and look at me now."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "I guess."

Just then, the door opened and Alistair called out, "Guess who I brought home with me?"

Selina didn't even bother to guess. She jumped up from her seat and ran to the front door, throwing herself into Elijah's arms and completely disregarding the fact that he hadn't washed in awhile. "I'm so happy!" she cried, latching onto him. "You came back!" She looked happily at Alistair. "Thank you for getting him back here."

"You're welcome," Alistair replied, smiling. "He thought you didn't want him anymore, but I told him you did."

She looked up at Elijah. "You're just silly, you know that?" She asked, still not letting go. "Of course I want you!"

"What about Ethan?" Elijah asked. "And the pictures of when you were with Klaus?"

"Ethan has moved to an apartment," Selina told him. "It's not near here. He won't even be coming by anymore to talk about my cookbook stuff. We'll talk about it over the phone. As for the pictures from when I was with Klaus, we can go through all the picture boxes and get rid of any pictures that make you uncomfortable, all right?"

"I don't know..." Elijah replied. "Maybe..."

"That's a great compromise," Alistair told Selina. "_Isn't it_, Elijah? Unless you would rather continue living in a rathole apartment, all alone, and not giving a hoot about yourself." He looked at his friend meaningfully and Elijah sighed. "Fine," he said. "I guess that would be all right." He paused. "I should probably go bathe and shave now, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded and reluctantly let him go. "But don't shave _all_ the way," she said with a wink. "I like you a little scruffy."

Elijah grinned in spite of himself at that comment and went to shower. Afterwards, he came out and Selina attached herself to him again, inhaling deeply. "You smell nice again!" She cried. "And you're wearing _clean clothes_!" She then looked up. "And you even listened to me about the shaving! Thank you!"

"Why is that so amazing?" Laura asked, coming up to them. Selina reluctantly let go so Laura could hug her father.

"Well," Elijah cleared his throat. "Last time your mother saw me, I wasn't at my tidiest. This is the cleanest I've been in awhile."

"Wow," Laura said in shock."I'm just...I'm just _stunned_."

Elijah nodded and tousled her dark hair. "So," he said. "What have _you_ been doing while I was gone?"

"I let Edward come and stay," Selina confessed. "But I promise they're sleeping in separate bedrooms."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "And it was only because I missed you so much and having Edward here made you being gone easier for me to deal with. We can send him back to his apartment now that you're back."

"Awww!" Elijah replied, feeling touched. "You missed me _that_ much? Sending Edward back to his apartment would probably be wise, but it's not like you'll never see him again."

"Yeah," Laura nodded ruefully. "I guess."

Just then, Edward came in. "Well, hello, sir!" He said, shaking Elijah's hand. "So glad to see you've come back."

"Well, thank you," Elijah told him. "And thank you for looking after my daughter in my absence."

"Oh, it was no trouble," Edward replied in surprise. "Really."

"Yeah," Laura said with a grin, pulling Edward to her. "Cause I'm _delightful_."

Edward chuckled. "You're not so bad," he replied.

"That's all I get?" Laura asked. "'Not so bad'? That's _all_?"

"All right," Edward said. "What about this? You're fantastic, you're stupendous, you're _beautiful!"_

Laura nodded and grinned with satisfaction. "That's better," she said. Then she looked at her father. "Do you mind if we go out and do one last thing before he goes back to his apartment?"

"All right," Elijah agreed. "Just don't be out too long."

After they were gone," Selina gave Elijah an approving look. "That was very nice of you to trust them," she said. "I'm proud of you."

Elijah grinned. "Would it surprise you if I had ulterior motives for letting them go?" He asked.

"What kind of ulterior motives?" Selina asked, her lips curving into a smile "Do these ulterior motives involve kissing?"

"Yes," Elijah replied, picking her up and carrying her to their room. "They do."

Once they had reached the bedroom and they believed the door was closed (even though it was just slightly ajar), they didn't undress, but Elijah pushed Selina against the wall and began kissing her, his hands going all over her body.

"Wow," she gasped as his lips repeatedly touched his favorite spot on her neck, just below her ear. "You _really _missed me, didn't you?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded, panting. "Much more than I realized." He unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, and was about to help her wriggle out of them when he heard a creak of door hinges and the sound of two tiny throats clearing. Elijah turned and saw Margaret and Annaliese looking at them and holding hands. "Hi," Annaliese said. as Elijah shielded Selina from view. "Laura said you were back and we wanted hugs, but we interrupted your kissing, so we'll go away." They turned toward the door and Selina quickly did up her pants again. "No!" She said. "We'll give you hugs. Come here!" They held out their arms and Margaret and Annaliese looked at one another for a moment before breaking into a run and throwing themselves at their parents so hard they sent them right onto their bed. They hugged them for a little while and then the girls finally left and Elijah and Selina continued their amorous activities. When they were done and lying next to each other, naked, sweaty, and exhausted, Elijah took Selina in his arms. "Do you want your memory back?" He asked. "Or do you just want to keep things the way they are now?"

"I wanna try and get it back," Selina nodded. "So I can remember if I actually told you that I meant to get rid of all the pictures I had from when I was still with your brother and only forgot when he took my memory away. That alone is good enough reason for me to remember again. But how do you suggest we go about convincing your father to give my memory back? You know he hates me. You know he just won't hand it over."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I know. But there has to be some way to convince him." Elijah thought a moment. "What if he had the idea in his head that you and I weren't together anymore?" He asked Selina. "What if he thought I was with someone else?"

"What would that matter?" Selina asked. "In that case, do you think he would give me back my memories out of pity?"

Elijah shrugged. "Or because he would think that giving you back your memories of us when we're supposedly not together would be something that would cause you heartbreak and suffering, and that, of course, would make him _incredibly_ happy."

Selina sighed. "I don't know about this," she replied, shifting. "You just came back after being away from me. I don't think I want you to be with anyone else, even if it _is_ so your father will give me my memories back."

"I won't actually _be_ with anyone," Elijah assured her. "It will be purely platonic. Just to keep up the appearance that we're not together for my father. The only person who will see me in any state of _dishabille_ is you. I swear."

"Oh, all right," Selina nodded. "If you think that's best. But I get to pick the person. I don't want you just going to some bar and picking someone up."

"Let's ask Theresa," Elijah suggested. "She's the one my father really wants me with after all."

"What if we ask and she thinks we're nuts?" Selina asked. "There's that possibility."

Elijah shrugged. "We won't know until we try."

* * *

"I was so glad you guys called," Theresa said when they arrived at her house a few days later. "Because we hadn't seen each other in awhile and I just...I wondered if everything was okay."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "It's fine now. We've been fighting for a bit, but we're over it. However, we have a favor to ask you and it might seem a bit strange."

Theresa nodded. "Okay," she said. "I know I'm not as old as you, are, Elijah, but I've seen and done a lot of strange things in five-hundred years. What is it that you want from me?"

"Well," Selina replied, "we told you that his father took away all my memories that had anything to do with him or the rest of his family, right?"

"Yes," Theresa nodded. "I heard that once or twice."

"Well," Selina continued. "Elijah is of the opinion that the best way to get Mikael to give me my memories back is to get him to believe that we're not together anymore and that Elijah is with someone else. Then he might return my memories as a form of punishment for me, so that I can, in his mind, remember a life that I will never have again. It's a long shot, but it's the best plan we have at the moment."

"Do you want me to pretend to be the person Elijah's in a relationship with?" Theresa asked.

"Look, I know it's a weird request, and I know you probably have better things to do," Selina said. "But it would really help us out."

Theresa nodded. "All right," she said. "I'll do it."

"And you can date someone else if you want, obviously," Elijah told her. "Just be discreet so my father doesn't see."

"Don't worry," Theresa assured him. "I think I'll be able to handle it."

"Thank you," Selina told her. "Thank you very much."

* * *

"Yes?" Felicity answered the phone.

"Felicity, it's Daddy," Klaus said. "I'm just calling to let you know that Amy and I are coming back a bit early. We should be there by tomorrow night."

"Wonderful," Felicity said. "I can't wait to see you! But why are you leaving so early? Don't you want to have a little fun to compensate for how _not_ fun yelling at Adrian was?"

"We tried, but it ended up not being as much fun as we thought," Klaus told her.

"Well, what did you do?" Felicity asked. "Maybe you could try to do something different."

"Do you not want me to come home?" Klaus asked. "It sounds like you don't want me to come home."

"Of course I want you to come home!" Felicity said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," Klaus told her. "You're a teenager, and teenagers frequently do things or people they shouldn't when their parents aren't home."

"I haven't done anything or anyone," Felicity said.

"I know you're lying to me," Klaus told her. "And it hurts me to think you'd do that. Just tell me the truth!"

"All right," Felicity told him. "I'll tell you the truth."

"Okay," Klaus replied. "I can't wait to hear it."

Felicity heaved a dramatic sigh. "I had a party while you were gone, all right?" She said. "People came and it was wild and crazy, and everything is a mess. I was irresponsible and I'm sorry."

"A party?" Klaus replied. "Is that all? Well, I guess that's irresponsible, but messes can be cleaned up, and I've been meaning to sort out and get rid of some of the crap around the house anyway."

"You sound really relieved," Felicity told him. "Did you think I was gonna tell you about something else?"

"Yes," Klaus nodded. "I thought you were gonna tell me something like you and Stefan were entertaining each other in your bed, but that's just ridiculous, isn't it? If that were true, I'd have to kill him."

"Yeah," Felicity replied, trying not to burst into nervous laughter. "Why would I do a stupid thing like go to bed with him? Don't worry. When I decide to entertain a boy, it will be someone much better than _Stefan._ It hurts me to think you believe I have such bad taste."

"Well, can you blame me for worrying?" Klaus asked. "When two young people such as yourselves are in a house together alone, things can happen. And you and Stefan have always had a connection, haven't you? I'd have to be blind not to see it."

"Dad, all I've done with him since I was a kid is yell at him and hurt him," Felicity replied. "What makes you think I'd want to ruin that by getting into bed with him?"

"I don't know," Klaus said. "But just make sure you maintain the status quo. You're much too young to be going beyond that."

"Yes, Daddy," Felicity replied. "You said you're gonna be here tomorrow?"

"Yes," Klaus replied. "Tomorrow night. Make sure the house is cleaned up by then."

"All right," Felicity promised. "I will. Goodbye, Daddy. See you tomorrow." She hung up and then noticed Stefan standing at the edge of the living room, smirking. "Did Daddy call?" He mocked her.

"Yes," she frowned at him. "He did. He says he's coming home tomorrow. He also asked me if you and I were having sex."

"Oh, really?" Stefan asked, grinning. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I was hurt he believed I had bad enough taste to sleep with you, and that the lie he believed I was hiding had to do with a house party rather than you and me. And by the way, you're welcome for saving your ass. If I'd told the truth, you'd be dead tomorrow."

"In that case," Stefan replied, coming up behind her and playing with her hair. "I'm touched at your concern for my safety." He paused. "Or was it more _your_ ass you were saving with your lies and it had nothing at all to do with me?"

"Maybe it was _both_ our asses I was saving," Felicity told him. "But don't worry. I'll try and be less considerate in the future."

She looked up at Stefan and he grinned. "So Klaus really thinks you and I are involved, huh?"

"Yeah," Felicity nodded. "I don't know how. I was very careful about hiding it."

Stefan burst out laughing. "Oh, honey. If it's comforting to you to think that, go ahead, but subtlety, thy name is not Felicity. You're a terrible liar. You always have been."

"Oh, I don't know," Felicity said, coming close to him so their chests were touching and then pushing him away. That time you thought I was a teenager like you, we kissed and I turned into a seven-year-old again, you looked like you were gonna wet yourself. That was a pretty good lie."

"That doesn't count," Stefan said testily, his temper rising at the memory. "There was magic involved then. It was nothing you did with your own wits. I stand by what I said before. You're a terrible liar, but a great fucker." He grinned and Felicity's eyes narrowed. She took two steps and slapped him hard. "I hope that hurt," she replied.

"I don't know," Stefan replied. "Why don't you try it again?"

"Okay," she nodded. She raised her hand to slap him again, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, kissing her hard.

"I hate you," she whispered as the kiss ended. "I really, _really_ hate you!"

Stefan grinned. "But you like being in bed with me."

She nodded. "It's one of my greatest shames." She kissed him this time and felt his hand go up her thigh and under her dress, his fingers just barely touching the skin beneath her panties. She moaned and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Daddy coming home tomorrow?" Stefan whispered in her ear.

"Yes," she breathed. "He is."

"Well, then, I say," he whispered back, "that we have one last hurrah. What do you think?"

"Oh, yes, please," Felicity nodded as he nibbled on her ear. "Let's."

"All right," Stefan nodded. "But remember: you asked for it."


	34. The Two Tests

"I don't get it!" Laura cried as Selina and Elijah sat her down and told her about their plan with Theresa. "You just got back, Daddy! Why are you leaving again? How could you do that to Mom?"

"Don't worry," Selina said. "I know all about it, and it won't be forever. Just until we con your grandfather into giving me my memory back." She looked at Elijah. "You'll be here at night, won't you? Or do you think that will blow our cover?"

"I can be here at night," Elijah assured her. "As long as I leave early in the morning. I won't leave you alone again more than I can help, I promise."

Laura sighed. "And I suppose you want me to explain all of this to the other kids so they don't worry. Is that right?"

"Yes," Selina nodded. "And thank you so much for being patient with us. I know it can't be a picnic for you having to take care of your brothers and sisters as often as we're making you do, but you're doing it well."

"Thanks," Laura said. "And don't worry. I'll make sure that everyone knows this latest thing between the two of you is just an act so no one gets scarred for life."

"It's appreciated," Selina told her. "We owe you and we promise we'll make it up to you later."

"Yes, you do," Laura said. "And just so you know, a car would be the perfect way to pay me back."

"We'll see about that," Elijah told her. "We'll see about that."

* * *

"My parents are _killing_ me!" Laura complained to Edward the next day. "I wish I could just come live with you at your apartment."

"What's happened?" Edward asked. "Don't tell me they're splitting up again."

"Not exactly," Laura shook her head. "But to get my grandfather to give back Mom's memories, they're pretending that they've broken up for good and Dad's moving into their friend Theresa's house during the day to make the whole idea seem more believable. It already took so much out of me explaining to Margaret and Annaliese why they weren't together the first time. Now I have to do it again. Thank god Colin and Tristan didn't care as much, otherwise I'd be completely bonkers!"

"Well, look on the bright side," Edward told her. "At least this time, what's going on between your parents is an act and not the real thing!"

"I know," Laura replied. "But I hate being the oldest kid home because I have to explain stuff and reassure everyone when Mom and Dad act crazy and I don't know if I like it."

"Well, in that case," Edward told her, "I will take over the job as responsible one when we have kids, so you don't have to deal with all the extra worry."

"Thank you," Laura told him. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

Edward nodded. "I try," he said. "But I really think you're underestimating yourself. You're a lot like your mother and _she's_ a good parent, in her own way. You don't have to be serious and always instill order to be a good parent. You can be fun too."

"That'll be _my_ job!" Laura said.

"Yes," Edward nodded. "But let's not think too far ahead. "We still have school to get through."

Laura nodded. "I guess."

"When are your parents starting this scheme of theirs?" He asked. "Do you know?"

"No," Laura said. "But it'll probably be soon. A few days at the most and tomorrow at the earliest. And the funny thing is, I think there's a part of Mom that doesn't really want Dad to go."

"Why is that funny?" Edward asked. "She just got him back after he was gone for the longest time, and now he's leaving again. Can you blame her for being nervous?"

"No," I can't," Laura told him. "Cause I'm kind of the same way with you. I saw you every day, and then you had to leave, and then you got to come back cause Dad was gone, and now you probably have to leave again. I just wish I could see you all the time." She sighed.

"Well, there's always school," Edward said, taking her hand and propelling her up the steps. "Let's go."

* * *

"Please let this work," Selina said to herself as Elijah left for Theresa's the first time.

"What's the matter?" Elijah asked, pulling her to him. "Please don't tell me you're worried about Theresa and me. You have no reason to be."

"No," Selina shook her head as she held him tight. "It's not that. I'm just worried that the plan might not work. We know it's a long shot even now."

"But we said we were at least gonna try," Elijah reminded her, stroking her hair. "And if Father won't take the bait immediately about giving your memory back after I tell him you and I have split up, when he stops by to gloat, because he _will_, all you have to do is indicate that getting your memories of us back would make you absolutely miserable. And you know Father would never resist a chance to do that."

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I know he wouldn't." She paused. "Did you mean it when you told Laura you'd come back at night?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I promise. We've already had so much foolishness keeping us apart, I won't put you through that again."

Selina just decided to nod without mentioning that the foolishness he'd been talking about was actually his fault. "Thank you," she said quietly. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Elijah told her. "It won't be so bad. I promise."

"Goodbye," Selina told him. "I'm gonna be at the bakery if you want to come and visit after lunch."

"All right," Elijah said. "I'll try and pay you a visit." He left and went to find his father.

"What's the matter with you?" Mikael asked when he saw him. "Surely it's not something a little hunting won't fix."

Elijah heaved an exaggerated sigh. "I'm afraid it will take more than that," he said. "You'll be happy to know that Selina and I have ended things permanently."

"Oh, really?" Mikael asked, trying not to grin, but failing. "That's too bad. But really, it's not a bad loss. There's no need to dwell on it. I'm sure Theresa would be willing to start things up with you again."

"As a matter of fact," Elijah told him, "I've already spoken to her, and yes, she said she'd be willing to take me in. I'm going to bring my things to her house after we finish here."

"Well, in that case," Mikael replied, standing up. "Let's get moving! We don't want to be wasting time you could be using to move on with your life with work." He paused. "I know this might be hard for you, but you have to remember that Selina was nothing but a shallow, cheating strumpet. A _fertile_ shallow, cheating strumpet, but a strumpet nonetheless, and I've always thought you could do better. Now you have the chance and it's something you should be happy about and not mope over."

"I have no intention of moping," Elijah said. "I am fully prepared to move on."

"Is_ she_?" Mikael asked. "Or are we going to have problems?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "She made it clear that she knows where we stand and won't press the issue anymore. You don't have to worry."

"I know you say that," Mikael told him. "But maybe I should stop by and chat with her while you're moving into Theresa's and make sure."

"All right, Father," Elijah said, turning away so Mikael wouldn't see his smirk. "Whatever you feel is necessary to do is all right with me."

* * *

"You came!" Selina cried as Elijah went into the bakery. She bounded over the counter and ran to the door, hugging him. "I hoped you were going to."

"Why wouldn't I come?" Elijah asked. "Especially if I said I was going to this morning?"

"I don't know," Selina shrugged. "Stuff happens. Especially where your father is concerned."

"Speaking of him," Elijah said with a grin as he helped Selina into a chair. "He took the bait. Can I have some cookies?"

"He _did_?" Selina asked in surprise. "You told him we'd broken up and he _believed_ you? And sure!" She went and got a few cookies for him and put them in a bag, handing her cash.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "And he's going to stop by our house while I'm moving into Theresa's to make sure you're amenable to the move."

"Great!" Selina grinned. "I'll be sure to be there so I can face him and do my part of this whole thing."

"I have no doubt you'll be successful," Elijah told her, holding up . "Good luck."

"Thanks!" Selina called. "I might need it!"

* * *

Just after Selina got home and had a little time to compose herself, she heard a knock at the door. Grinning, she got up to answer it, making her expression sadder as she opened the door and saw Mikael standing in front of her. "Hello, sir," she said quietly, giving a little curtsey that she figured wouldn't hurt. "Would you like to come in?"

"Oh, stop trying to kiss up to me," Mikael told her as he stepped through the door. "I already heard the sad truth from Elijah about you not being part of our family anymore."

"Yes," Selina sighed. "That's right. It's all my fault."

"Of course it is," Mikael replied. "I figured as much."

"I know I messed up, and if I told you I'm still gonna miss Elijah always, you probably wouldn't believe me either. He didn't." Selina said. Then did her best to look innocent. "It's a good thing that all of my memories concerning Elijah are gone. Because now that we've separated and are gonna be divorced, having all those memories of the good times would just be the most horrible torture. It would _really_ hurt me." She waited for him to agree to give her memory back but he just stared at her.

"What?" She asked. "Didn't you hear what I said? About how badly having my memories back would hurt me? You like it when I hurt! It's one of your favorite things!"

"While that _is_ very true," Mikael agreed, "You seem very eager to get your supposedly torturous memories back. It seems like if I gave them to you, it would be more a reward than a punishment."

"No, it wouldn't!" Selina replied quickly. "It would most definitely be a punishment!"

"But then why did you _ask_ me to give you them back?" Mikael asked. "This is all a lie, isn't it? You and Elijah aren't broken up at all, and you're just lying to manipulate me into giving you want you want."

Selina gave him a look. "How much would you believe me if I said 'No, we aren't'?"

"I wouldn't believe you one bit," Mikael said. "However, I _might_ be willing to give you back your memory. _If_ you do something for me first."

"What?" Selina asked, picturing him compelling her to do the most awful things. "What do you want me to do?"

He stepped up to her so there was no space between them, and said, without meeting her eyes, "I want you to sleep with Niklaus."

"What?" Selina asked. "No! Why would I do that? I'm with Elijah now! I won't! I refuse!"

"All right," Mikael sighed. "It's a shame you can't do the one simple thing that will get your memory back." He turned and made his way to the door, whistling softly through his teeth. As he put his hand on the doorknob, Selina spoke. "Wait a minute!" She said. "Do you _swear_ you'll give me my memory back if I do it?"

"Yes," Mikael replied. "You have my word I will give you your memory back if you do this. But when it happens, I would like to know so I can see evidence with my own eyes, especially since, after this display, I know you and Elijah aren't especially trustworthy."

"Fine!" Selina said. "Go away now and if you'll stop by Klaus' house tomorrow night, you'll see whatever you want to see."

"I'd better," Mikael told her. "Or you know what will happen."

Selina scowled. "I can guess. Goodbye." She slammed the door and called Elijah at Theresa's.

"Bad news," she said. "Stop unpacking your stuff and just bring it back here. Your father's on to us."

"You mean, he didn't give you your memory back?" Elijah asked.

"Not for free," Selina said. "He told me he would, but he added a condition: he wants me to sleep wit Klaus."

"What?!" Elijah yelled so loud Selina had to take the phone away from her ear. "I hope you told him that you wouldn't."

"I tried," Selina said. "I told him not a chance in hell. Then he said he'd kill me if I didn't. I think he's backed us into a corner. I think I'll have to do it."

Elijah sighed. "All right," he said. "But I'm not happy!"

"Don't yell at me!" Selina cried. "Yell at your father. This was _his _stupid idea!"

"That _you_ chose to go along with!" Elijah snapped.

"Does the fact that I told him 'No' the first time get me any points?" Selina asked.

Elijah sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. When did you tell my father you were going to do what he asked?"

"Tomorrow night," Selina said. "We should probably tell Klaus ahead of time, though. You want to come with me tomorrow."

"Yes, I do," Elijah said. "Definitely."

* * *

"Hi!" Amy said the next day when she opened the door and saw Selina and Elijah on the other side. "Who are the two of you again? I apologize for not remembering."

"I'm Klaus' ex-wife, Selina, and this is his brother, Elijah," Selina said, confused when Amy's once cheerful gaze temporarily darkened. "What? Did I say something wrong? If I did, I'm sorry."

"Come in," Amy said. She led them to the living room and they sat down, with Amy giving Selina a look. "If you're Klaus' ex-wife, you must be Adrian's mother."

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I am."

"Well, from all the witches of New Orleans, thank you for giving birth to a monster," Amy spat, her voice full of venom.

"Wait, what?" Selina asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Adrian!" Amy cried. "He's been responsible for countless atrocities against the witches of New Orleans."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Selina said. "I didn't know." She sighed. "They told me when he was born that he was gonna be a problem. Hazel and Enid even put a spell on me to prolong my labor with him in the hopes he wouldn't be born at all. I tried to do my best with him, and I thought I did a pretty good job...but apparently not."

Elijah held her and then frowned at Amy. "Anything Adrian has done lately cannot be blamed on his mother. We're both sorry for everything you've been through, but We haven't talked to Adrian since he went down his dark path. We did everything we could to deter him before then."

"I didn't," Selina said. "I could have, but I didn't. I was too busy being involved in my own screwed up life to know Adrian was even having a problem!"

"I know what she's talking about," Adrian told Selina. "What he's going through is something similar to when you were Lonely Heart. Or one of Niklaus' crazy escapades. He just needs to get it out of his system and before he does, he's really beyond help."

"What about me?" Klaus asked, striding into the room.

"We weren't talking about you," Elijah told him. "We were talking about Adrian and his bad behavior down in New Orleans. When did it get to be as bad as it apparently is?"

Klaus shrugged. "I don't know. Probably as soon as he and Helene moved there. But I assume that's not what you came here to talk about, is it?"

"No," Selina said. "Some time ago, Mikael took away all my memories of life with you and your family, which from the sound of things is a large chunk of my life. He told me that he'd give me my memories back, but only if I slept with you."

"All right," Klaus nodded, taking off his shirt as Elijah rose with a frown on his face. "We'll throw the blankets off the bed and-"

"Actually," Selina said, pushing Elijah back down on the sofa, "I was hoping there was a way we could pretend like we did it without _actually_ doing it. Is that possible?"

Klaus shrugged. "It won't be as much fun, but I suppose we could think of something like that."

"Wait," Amy said, her bad mood seeming to have gone away. "What are we talking about?"

"My father took Selina's memories awhile back and he refuses to give them back to her unless she sleeps with Niklaus," Elijah told Amy. "But I won't allow that."

"So what will she do, then?" Amy asked.

"I'm trying to think!" Selina said. Then, it hit her. "Amy," she said to the redhead. "Mikael doesn't know about _you_! Maybe if _you _took my place for the actual sex part of the scheme, I wouldn't have to do it, and no one's relationship would be compromised. Is that all right?"

Amy looked at Klaus reluctantly, their steamy, drunken night in New Orleans still on her mind. "All right," she said. "I suppose it would only be right for me to do this for you, considering how rude I was to you about Adrian. I apologize."

"Thank you," Selina said to her. "Thank you so much!"

* * *

That night, the plan was set in motion. Selina was even sure she saw Mikael standing on a street corner nearby as she made her way to Klaus' house. Elijah had gone over a few hours earlier and was waiting for her to do her part and leave with him. She went up to his front door and knocked, then waited. He opened the door a few seconds later and invited her inside. "Mom?" asked Felicity, who was sitting on the sofa with her laptop in her lap. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Just...I came to do some business with your dad," Selina told her. "I won't be here for very long."

"Oh," Felicity nodded. "Are we still on for going bowling this weekend?"

"Yeah!" Selina nodded. "And Laura says she wants to come too. Do you mind?"

"No," Felicity shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Now you and dad go upstairs and do what you need to do. Don't let me be a distraction."

"All right," Selina nodded and let Klaus usher her to his bedroom, where Klaus looked out the window, and sure enough, there was Mikael. "He's out there," He said. "Let's get this over with." They went and undressed in front of the window so that their shadows were clearly visible to Mikael's sight, and then they even kissed for a brief period before Amy (apologizing profusely for being late), took over and Selina grabbed her clothes, dressed in the living room, and sneaked out the back door.

"I was beginning to worry," Elijah told her.

"Sorry," Selina apologized. "Amy got trapped in the bathroom because the door was stuck. That's why she was a bit late."

"Do you think she and Klaus are playing their roles well enough to make my father believe the charade?" Elijah asked.

"Oh, yes," Selina replied, thinking of the passion the pair had displayed as she'd left. "I think convincing your father is not going to be a problem."

And, luckily for them, it wasn't. Mikael came back the next day, and Selina got her memory back. Then, that night, wearing a short skirt, high heels, a bun in her hair, and one of Elijah's shirts, unbuttoned so that it exposed her black lace bra, Selina and Elijah played their first game of Mr. Richmond and Miss Stensrund in ages.

* * *

"Hello, Mother," Gregory said in surprise when he opened the door a few months later and saw Selina. She started as much at the sight of her and Elijah's eldest son holding a baby.

"Are you okay?" Gregory asked her.

"Yes," Selina nodded. "I'm fine. It's just still a bit of a shock to see you with a baby. Can I come in, or are you busy?"

"No, I'm not busy," Gregory shook his head. "Come in! Elizabeth has missed you!" Selina smiled and stroked the little baby's dark hair. "I've missed her too."

Gregory smiled at her as they headed inside

Selina looked him over. "Jeans and a t-shirt," she said with approval. "Good thinking."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "I thought that might be best. It's been my uniform for the last three months." He yawned and Selina put a hand on his shoulder. "Katherine's not making you care for her alone still, is she?"

"Well, that was my choice," Gregory replied. "I was the one who wanted a child and I told Katherine I would take care of her, so I am. Although Katherine's attached too, even though she won't admit it to me."

"Admit what?" Katherine said.

"That you're just as attached to Elizabeth as I am," Gregory told her. "Admit it. You are."

"I'm used to her by now," Katherine said. She came close to the sofa and Elizabeth's body began flailing as she reached for her.

"Look at that," Gregory said in amazement. "It seems like she wants you. Why don't you take her?"

Katherine sighed and took Elizabeth into the kitchen. She held onto her and scowled. "Remember our deal," she told the baby, who eyed her with what seemed to be fondness. "I come visit you at night, and you don't even give the _slightest_ indication that I do, so your father never finds out. Is that clear? I don't want him to think I've gone soft because of a cuddly thing with big eyes who loves me for no reason." Instead of looking sad, Elizabeth just gave her a big, gummy grin and Katherine, in spite of herself, hugged the little girl.

"Awww!" Gregory said, grinning when he came into the kitchen. "Isn't that nice?"

"Don't make a big deal about it," Katherine told him. "I knew the second you saw, you'd make some big deal about it."

"Why not?" Gregory asked. "I'm happy you and Elizabeth are getting along."

"Well, okay, but that doesn't mean you have to bring it up every five seconds!" Katherine said and handed Elizabeth back to him.

"All right," Gregory smiled. "I _promise_ I won't make a big deal out of it, okay?"

"Good," Katherine said firmly. "Thank you."

Gregory took Elizabeth back to the living room and handed her to Selina, who cuddled her and peered at him. "Have you told your father about her yet?"

"No," Gregory admitted. "I don't know how. He and Katherine were involved once, and I'm afraid if I tell him, he'll just get upset."

"You should tell him," Selina urged. "I'll even be with you when you do it, if that will make things easier for you."

"All right," Gregory nodded. "I'll tell him. I'll tell him tomorrow."

* * *

"Now," Elijah said to Selina the next night. "What is it that Gregory has to tell me? It's probably something horrible, like that he's killed a bunch of people. If it was something good, he'd have been able to tell me earlier."

"I promise it's something good," Selina assured him. "But since it has to do with him and Katherine, he wasn't sure how you'd take it, given your previous relationship with her."

"How come you know what the big secret is and I don't?" Elijah said. "Why did he tell you before he told me?"

"It doesn't matter," Selina told him as she parked the car at the restaurant and they both went inside. "It doesn't matter that he told me first. You're finding out tonight, so don't fuss at him. You'll just make things worse."

They got inside and found the table where Gregory was sitting. "Sorry we're late," Selina said as Elijah helped her into her chair. Traffic was murder."

"Want me to order wine?" Elijah asked.

"Sure," Gregory nodded. "Why not?"

They got wine and after they'd each taken a few sips, Gregory told Elijah his news. "Father," he said. "Katherine and I have a baby. Her name is Elizabeth and she's three months old. I'd like it if you came to see her."

"Y-y-y-you and Katerina have a _baby_?" Elijah sputtered after he spat red wine all over his pristine white shirt front. "How is that even possible? She can't _have_ children!"

"We adopted her," Gregory said, his eyes averted. "She's the baby of one of the girls at my shelter. Are you upset? I thought you might be when you heard, and that's why I didn't tell you."

Elijah sighed. "You know I was never fond of the idea of you and Katerina as a couple," he said. "When it was just the two of you, that was one thing, but what were you _thinking,_ bringing a child into the house?! Katerina doesn't have the ability to commit to a relationship _and_ a child! She's going to abandon you, Gregory. You and Elizabeth both. Just like she abandoned me and every other man who was foolish enough to be lured in by her."

"I think you're wrong," Gregory said firmly. "I think she loves both of us, even though she won't show it. I think she loves us a lot."

"As shining as your endorsement of Katerina's character is," Elijah replied, "I won't believe it until I see it. And don't take this as jealousy on my part. I'm only trying to protect you from the inevitable disappointment that comes with giving your heart to an unreliable woman."

"What if I could prove to you that she loved us?" Gregory asked. "Then would you believe me and come and visit your granddaughter?"

"Yes," Elijah replied. "If Katerina is able to confirm to me that her commitment to you and your child is as strong as your commitment to her, I will accept your relationship and come and visit my grandchild."


	35. Katherine Tells A Truth

"What do you _mean_ you and your father are going on a trip and you don't know when you'll be back, Gregory?" Katherine asked. "Who's supposed to take care of Elizabeth while you're gone? I hope you weren't thinking that I would."

"Why not?" Gregory asked. "You love her. I saw. And as heartless as you can seem sometimes, I doubt you'd just let her die."

"Why are you trusting me?" Katherine asked. "I don't deserve it! Have you gone insane?"

"I'm trusting you because, as I said, I know you love Elizabeth as much as I do and I want you to prove it to me," he said.

Katherine groaned. "Why can't I just drop her off at your mom's? Your mom likes her, right?"

"Katherine, _please_?" Gregory asked. "This is the only time I will ever asked you to do this, so will you please just...be Elizabeth's mother for a little bit?"

Katherine shrugged. "Fine," she sighed. "But you better be right about this being the only time you're gonna leave!"

"Of course I am!" Gregory replied. "Katerina, would I lie to you?"

"You might," Katherine shot back. "I don't know!"

"Well, in this particular instance, I'm telling the truth," Gregory replied. "You can choose to believe me or not, but I'm telling you the truth! I'm gonna come back."

"Oh, just go!" Katherine snapped. "I don't need to hear you babble on anymore, so just go."

"All right," Gregory nodded, took her hand and kissed it. "Goodbye, Katerina. You know that all of Elizabeth's clothes and things are in her room, right? And her formula is in the kitchen."

She just scowled at him. "I _know_," she said through her teeth. "Goodbye!"

Gregory sighed, took her hand, and squeezed it. "Goodbye, Katerina," he told her briefly. He then went to Elizabeth's room and picked her up out of her crib. "I have to go on a little trip," he told her. "But I promise I'll come back. I tried to explain that to your mother, but she didn't believe me. Will you, Elizabeth? Will you believe that I'm going to come back?"

Elizabeth gave him a smile too, and he hugged her for quite awhile before taking her out to the living room and wondering if his mother would have a better reaction than Katherine when his father told her what they were doing, or if _she_ would react just as badly.

* * *

"You and Gregory are gonna do _what_?" Selina asked a few days later.

"We're merely going to pretend to go over to the dark side to test Katerina's commitment to him," Elijah told her for the fifth time. She wasn't reacting any better since the first time she'd been told. "This is strictly necessary if Gregory's going to have a good life."

"It's _not_ strictly necessary!" Selina cried. "It's insane! If_ I _was gonna go bad for such a petty reason, you'd lock me in the basement and tell me that I wasn't allowed out until I came to my senses. I don't like you when you're bad. If I wanted to be with someone dark and creepy, I would have stayed with your brother."

"I told you that it won't be forever," Elijah promised. "And I won't let things get out of control."

"You don't know that!" Selina told him. "When you go dark, you can lose control easily without meaning to. What if your father catches you? What if he kills you? What if he kills both of you?! I'm not losing you both for such a dumb reason. I'm just not."

"I'm touched by your concern," Elijah told her. "But this is what's best. There's no other way around it."

"Yes, Mother," Gregory assured her as he threw bags and equipment into the car. "We'll be fine. We promise. It's just a test to prove whether or not Katherine is as committed to me as she should be if we're going to be a couple. You don't have to worry.

"You say that," Selina said to herself as they left. "But that doesn't mean I won't." She paused and looked Elijah in the eye. "I want you to call me every night so I can be sure you're alive." She paused. "Wait. If you're evil, you probably won't think of that. _I'll _call _you_. And you better answer. Because the second you don't, I'm gonna come down to wherever it is you are, and I'm gonna join you. Do you want that?"

"Not particularly," Elijah told her. "Although I'd be happy to have you at my side at any other time. But now, we have a plan and we need to stick to it. The slightest deviation could ruin everything."

"All right," Selina stepped back and nodded. "So, what are you going to do when your phone rings?"

"Answer it," Elijah sighed.

"Good," Selina told him. "And all you have to do is say, 'Yes, Selina, we're alive'. Then, I'll say 'All right, thank you', and hang up. That's not too hard for you to deal with, is it?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I guess not." He put the last bag in and then he and Gregory got in the car. "Goodbye," Elijah told Selina. "We're going to come back. I promise."

"I believe you!" Selina called as the car backed out of the driveway. "Good luck!"

* * *

"So," Laura asked Selina the next day after Gregory and Elijah had been gone for a little while. "What's Dad up to now?"

"Something incredibly stupid that might get him immobilized," Selina said. "Your brother too. If that happens, I give you permission to move in with Edward."

"Well, thanks," Edward told Selina. "Just what is he doing now?"

"Gregory is involved with Dad's ex-girlfriend," Laura told him. "He's been in love with her since we were kids, although I have no idea why."

"Ah," Edward grinned. "You hate her. Is she some sort of intellectual or something?"

When they heard that, both Laura and Selina burst out laughing. "I wouldn't call her an intellectual," Laura said. "I doubt she's ever opened a book in her life."

"Yeah," Selina said darkly. "She mainly gets through life by exploiting men she tricks into falling in love with her."

"And now you know why I hate her," Laura said. "Cause I don't want my brother to be another notch on her bedpost."

"Look at you, caring about people!" Edward said in amazement, giving her a hug. "That's so nice!"

"Yeah, well," Laura replied, leaning her head against Edward's shoulder. "He's my brother."

Just then, there was a knock at the front door. "Huh," Selina said. "I wonder who that is?" She went to open the door and found Katherine on the other side, holding a carrier with Elizabeth in it

"Hi," Katherine said. "I heard Elijah left you too, and I wondered-"

"You wondered if you could leave Elizabeth here while you went out and partied?" Selina interrupted. "I figured you would. Give me her and her things and you can be on your way, no longer bogged down by the giant burden your daughter is." She held her hand out, waiting for Katherine to give her the carrier.

But Katherine stayed firm. "Actually," she said, "I was thinking of taking care of Elizabeth myself. I just came here for the company. Can we come in, or not?"

"Sure," Selina said, feeling confused. "Come in. Did you just seriously say you're going to take care of Elizabeth while Gregory is gone?"

"Yeah," Katherine nodded. "My first thought was to drop her off with you until he got back, but then I sort of got into the whole 'taking care of a child' thing and I wanna stick it out. It's what Gregory wants." She paused to smirk at Selina, who still seemed confused. "That's not a problem, is it?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "If it's what Gregory wants, you should do it."

"Thank you," Katherine replied and stepped inside.

"Do you need some help with all that stuff?" Selina asked. "I can put some of it in her room if you'd like."

"All right," Katherine replied, and dumped the entire mountain of things on Selina all at once. She fell to the ground under the weight of it, which caused Katherine to chuckle. "Have fun taking that to her room," she said.

Selina got up from the floor, her eyes narrowed, but said nothing as she made several trips taking Elizabeth's things to her room.

"Not a light packer, is she?" Selina panted when she came back for the last time.

"Well, I didn't know what to pack, since Gregory didn't exactly specify how long he'd be gone, so I decided to bring everything. Just to be safe," Katherine replied. "You know what that's like, right?"

"Yes," Selina sighed. "As much as I would like to be angry and think you brought all that on purpose just to make me look like an idiot, I can't deny small children have a lot of stuff."

"Exactly!" Katherine replied. "I brought it all cause she needed it. The fact that you looked absolutely ridiculous carrying everything was just an added bonus!"

"What are _you_ doing here?" Laura asked, coming in and facing Katherine. "Nobody invited you!"

"Remember what we said about being nice to people?" Edward asked, coming up behind her. "Let's just keep going with that, shall we?"

"Listen to your boyfriend, Laura," Katherine told her. "It wouldn't hurt you to learn some manners."

Edward strode over to Katherine and held out his hand. "Hello," he said. "I'm Edward. You'll have to excuse Laura. She's having a bad day."

"No, she's not," Katherine replied, shaking Edward's hand. "She's always been like that around me, and I have no idea why. All I've ever done is be polite."

"Yeah, right!" Laura said. "You tricked Gregory into falling in love with you and now you're gonna dump him just like you've dumped every other man you've been with! You can't treat my brother that way. You're scum."

"That's not the worst thing I've ever been called," Katherine replied. "And you _do_ realize your brother is an adult now, right? If he wants to be in love with me, that's his choice, even if you think it's a stupid one, so how about you mind your own business and leave me alone?"

"Not until you let my brother go," Laura said.

"That's not going to happen," Katherine told her. "How many ways are there to say he _wants_ to be with me? I admit I've compelled a lot of men over the years and done things I shouldn't have, but I can't mess with Gregory that way. Every decision he makes is his alone. I have nothing to do with it."

"Laura," Edward said firmly, "Let this go, please. We're aware that you love your brother and just want to stick up for him. But really, you're beating a dead horse when your rage could be directed at so many other things."

"But I don't _want_ to direct my rage at other things!" Laura yelled as Edward pulled her away. "I want to direct my rage at _her_!"

"Just come with me," Edward told her. "We'll go away and you can think about other, happier things." He herded a still-protesting Laura out of Katherine's sight while mumbling apologies at a volume Katherine could hear.

"Well," she said and cuddled Elizabeth. "At least we know there's _one_ nice person in this house."

* * *

"Okay," Gregory said to Elijah as they parked in the middle of some woods were a lot of hikers and campers frequented. "Just how exactly do you think we can prove Katherine's commitment to me?"

"Well, it's like I told your mother," Elijah replied as the moon rose behind him. "We completely let ourselves go, leave a trail of bodies behind us, my father comes running, and when Katerina begs him to spare your life because she and your child need you too much, then we'll know that her feelings are genuine."

"Have you completely lost your mind, Father?" Gregory asked, his eyes wide with shock. "When you told me we were going to do something to test Katherine's commitment to me, I didn't think that risking our lives was the sort of thing you had in mind. If you're only doing this because of an urge to go dark, you could have just asked Mother. She probably would have joined you without this whole charade."

"It's not an urge to go dark," Elijah replied. "I won't take pleasure in the lives I end, but sometimes, people have to die for the sake of the greater good, and I consider your happiness more important than the lives of humans I'll never know personally."

"Well, thank you," Gregory said dryly. "I'm honored. But I won't do it. You can kill all the people you want, but you'll do it alone."

"That defeats the point of the whole plan, though," Elijah replied. "Katerina won't stand up to your grandfather to save _me_! You have to join me."

"Can you think of _no_ other non-violent way to test Katherine's commitment?" Gregory asked. "I'm beginning to think Mother was right when she said this plan was insane."

"Do you honestly think I would suggest a plan like this if I thought it was really going to have terrible, irreversible consequences?" Elijah asked. "We'll be fine!"

"You seem to have confidence that Katherine will rescue me," Gregory said. "Why don't we go back home, and have me ask her something like, 'If I were to kill a bunch of people and then have the possibility of being eternally immobilized hanging over my head, would you save me, Katherine? Or not?' Isn't that enough?" Gregory asked.

"No!" Elijah replied. "There wouldn't be any real feeling in her answer, even if she _did_ say 'Yes'. Nothing brings out people's feelings like a life or death situation."

Gregory groaned as he realized Elijah wouldn't be distracted from the plan. He got out his phone and started to dial Selina's number, but Elijah snatched it away. "You're calling your mother, aren't you?" He asked.

"I think that you knew I was," Gregory replied. "Otherwise you wouldn't have taken my phone away."

Elijah frowned deeply and grabbed a passerby, sinking his fangs into the man's neck.

"Father!" Gregory said in surprise as he watched Elijah drain life from the man and then toss him away like a used tissue. He eyed Gregory, his mouth covered in blood, and grinned. "Your turn, my boy," he said, leaving and coming back with a struggling, terrified woman in shorts and a pink tank top. "Go ahead. Take a bite. You've done it before."

Gregory felt ill, but took the woman from Elijah anyway. But he didn't bite her neck. He bit her wrist so he could avoid looking into her eyes and drank and drank and drank, and then did the same with the other wrist. Finally, she was limp and he let her drop to the ground.

"Was she good?" Elijah asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "I want more!"

Together, father and and son spent a period of seven days on a killing spree and on the morning of the seventh day, as the sun came up, they found themselves waking up on either side of a large pile of dead bodies.

"That's the great thing about being in the woods like this," Elijah said as Gregory sat up. "An endless supply of people. There's no chance of starving."

Suddenly, they heard a noise in the bushes, and then, Mikael appeared. "Well, well, well," he said. "Look what we have here."

"Hello, Father," Elijah replied. "We wondered when you were going to show up. It took you long enough to get here."

"Silence!" Mikael roared. "I've killed many unruly vampires in my time, but _never_ did I think I would have to kill my own son and grandson. I never thought the two of you would be capable of such an atrocity."

"Well," Elijah chuckled, "you learn something every day, don't you?"

"Hey," Gregory added, "If you're gonna kill us, can we at least make phone calls to tell people goodbye?"

"Fine," Mikael replied. "Although if you ask me, it's the very people you're calling that made you end up like this in the first place."

Gregory dug his phone out of his pocket and dialed Katherine's number. "Katerina," he said when she answered. "I'm so glad you answered the phone!"

"You know, I didn't say you need to call me while you're away," Katherine told him. "That was your mother. In fact, Selina's packing up to head to the car this minute cause you haven't answered her calls in a couple of days."

"Well, you should come with her too, and bring Elizabeth," Gregory said. "That way, you'll both get to say goodbye to me."

"What?!" Katherine yelled. "Gregory, what are you _talking_ about?"

Gregory chuckled. "Father and I went on a killing spree, Katerina. We racked up a pile of bodies and Grandfather found out. Now he's says we're both gonna die, so if you want to come have a last look at me, you'd better do it quick. We're in the woods about five miles from our house, you know, where all the hiking trails and camp sites are." He hung up, and told Mikael, "They're both gonna come to say goodbye. Can we have a stay of execution until they get here?"

Mikael sighed. "I hate delays," he said. "But I suppose, as a favor to family, I will actually let them say goodbye to you. Unless you're lying to me and they really aren't coming."

"No, they _are_!" Gregory insisted. "Katerina would never give up the chance to say goodbye to me and let me die alone."

"They have twenty minutes," Mikael said. "Then it will be too late."

Selina and Katherine reached the woods in the nick of time. They ran into the clearing where Elijah and Gregory were situated, led by the overpowering smell of the bodies. "Wait!" Katherine said. "Stop! Don't do this!"

"Yeah," Selina added. "Don't you dare hurt either of them!"

"What does it matter?" Gregory asked as Katherine handed Elizabeth to Selina and came to kneel next to him. "You're never gonna love me anyway. I might as well die."

"Don't you dare!" Katherine said. "I can raise Elizabeth by myself if I have to, but that's not what I want. She needs you too much for you to just throw your life away like this."

"Well, I knew that," Gregory replied. "And what about _you_, Katerina? Do you need me?"

Katherine hesitated, and Mikael brought down the dagger that he had poised over Gregory's body. He'd decided to dagger Gregory first because it was his betrayal that hurt the worst and Mikael just wanted to get the shame out of the way. Then, he'd finish off Elijah. Katherine watched the dagger shoot down, but just before it reached Gregory's body, she threw herself over the spot where it would have landed. "No!" She cried. "You can't kill him!"

"Why?" Mikael asked.

"Because-" Katherine started to say. "Because-"

"Because what, my dear?" Mikael asked.

"Because I love him, okay?" Katherine finally got out. "And he loves me! And if you kill him, I'll just go back to being the bitter, lonely, and only caring about myself. I don't want that. I want _him_. I _need_ him. Elizabeth and I both do. Please, don't hurt him."

"Yeah," Selina replied. "Elijah and Gregory are sorry for what they did. Can't you give them a break this once? This is like the _one _crazy thing they've both done. Please don't kill my husband, or my son. Save all your rage for someone who really deserves it. I'm sure there are people like that out there."

Mikael, who was _not_ just playing the part of willing participant in Gregory and Elijah's scheme about Katherine, scowled and stepped away. "I suppose I can look the other way this once, for my family. But if the two of them do _anything_ like this again, I won't hesitate." He skulked off and Katherine and Selina, who still was holding Elizabeth, stared at their men.

"I've never wanted to punch you so hard in my entire life!" Selina told Elijah. "Didn't I tell you that this stupid plan of yours would get the two of you killed?"

"But it worked, though!" Elijah said.

"What plan?" Katherine asked Gregory.

"Well," he grinned and stroked her hair. "The reason why we did this was to test you. Father wanted to make sure you were as committed to me and Elizabeth as we were to you. And you are. We all heard it. You can't take it back."

"Well, that was very underhanded!" Katherine replied. But she hugged him anyway. "If you just would have asked me how I felt, I would have told you."

"I don't think you would have," Gregory replied. "You're not exactly open with your feelings."

"Well, I can't go through watching you nearly be killed again," Katherine sighed. "So I guess, even though it terrifies me, I guess I have no choice but to be more open and honest about my feelings from now on."


	36. Trust In Me

"So, how was it?" Katherine asked. "Are you ever going to tell me?"

"How was what?" Gregory asked.

"You know, killing people," Katherine elaborated. "Did you_ like _it as much as you did in the past?"

"Not while I was in my right mind I didn't, no." Gregory shook his head. "I've never been so shocked as when I saw Father kill. It affirmed to me that he really _is_ Grandfather's son and that's something I never thought I'd see."

"Do you think you'll want to do it again someday?" Katherine asked. "Maybe...with me?"

"You heard what Grandfather said," Gregory told her. "Even just one more round of shenanigans and it's the end of the road for me. I've had my turn and I'm done. I'm not gonna do it anymore. From now on, all my life is gonna be is you, Elizabeth, and the girls at the shelter." He paused. "Now onto a completely different subject: How _were_ things with Elizabeth? Did you do all right?"

"Yes," Katherine sighed. "If you're wondering why your mother and I came at the same time, it was because I stayed at your parents' house. Not because I planned to dump Elizabeth there," she said, noticing Gregory's frown. "But because I wanted the company. Granted, Laura wasn't happy to see me, but then again, she never is. And I didn't see a lot of the triplets. But your mom and I reached a truce and no blood was shed."

"Did she try and nag you about Elizabeth?" Gregory asked. "Did you have to be firm about taking care of her by yourself?"

"Yes," Katherine nodded. "Yes, I did. i made up a schedule for her and everything, but your mother tried to deviate from it several times. She seemed to have this idea that since she's had eleven kids over the years and I've never even raised one, her ideas were more valid than mine, but I stayed firm and eventually, she let me have my way and left me alone."

"I want to thank you," Gregory told her. "I wasn't sure how you would handle Elizabeth on your own, but it seems like you did well, and I'm grateful. And not only did you do well with Elizabeth, but you managed to get along well with my mother which, I know given the history you two have, is a bit difficult."

"It wasn't a problem, really," Katherine replied. "I mean, I admit it was difficult some days, but I managed." She paused. "Elizabeth seemed really happy to see you again."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "She did. I missed her too. Well, when I was in my right mind, I mean. Father wants to see her. Maybe we should set up a time for him to come over."

"Do you think he'll scold you for having a human child?" Katherine asked.

Gregory shrugged. "I can't see why he would. He might warn me about the difficulties of raising a human child when I'm a vampire myself, but I don't see him being mad about it."

"All right," Katherine nodded. "Let's invite him. We might as well get it over with as soon as possible."

"You're nervous?" Gregory asked her. "I promise he won't be angry. And you already proved that you're as dedicated to me as I am to you, so Father won't be mad about _that_ either."

"It's not that," Katherine said. "I mean, it's one thing that your mother and I used to dislike each other with a passion and that I may or may not be responsible for screwing up her entire life, but I used to be in a relationship with your dad, and now he's my father-in-law, so it's a little weird, us getting together. I still don't know how to act."

"Just be nice," Gregory told her. "Be nice and don't piss anyone off, and everything will be all right."

* * *

"Are you ever gonna tell me what it was like?" Selina asked that night. "Since I, you know, didn't get to see it at all?"

"What _what_ was like?" Elijah asked. "And would you care to tell me why our bedroom smells like smoke?"

"Um, because I had a few cigarettes okay?" Selina replied. "I got nervous when you didn't answer your phone like you were supposed to, and when I get nervous, I smoke. I figured that would be the safest stress buster because you wouldn't want me drinking around the kids."

"How conscientious of you," Elijah said dryly. "Why do you care so much what it was like when I was killing people?"

"Oh, I don't know," Selina replied. "I'm just curious. Why won't you tell me?!"

"Because it might encourage some bad habits from you and that's not what we want anymore, do we?" Elijah asked. "If I tell you how it felt killing people, you'll just want to do it again, and we both know you're done with that sort of behavior."

"That means you_ liked _it!" Selina crowed. "You were killing people and you liked it!"

"Well," Elijah sighed, "Once one loses one's mind and gives in to the beast within, there's really no other choice, is there?"

Selina grinned and reached out to unzip his jeans, a naughty twinkle in her eye. "How about you give in to the beast within right now?" She whispered as she kissed his neck and stroked his crotch. "Cause it feels like it really wants to come out."

Elijah tried to stay serious and resist, but especially after a week without her, he realized resistance was futile. She peeled off his jeans and stroked, licked and sucked on him until he came, then she burst out giggling as he grabbed her and turned over so she was looking up at him with the sparkling blue eyes and naughty smile he missed so much. He pushed up her pajama top and kissed her stomach, his tongue swirling slowly around her belly button, her squeaks of pleasure making him smile. Then he paused and gave her the wickedest grin he could before pushing inside her. She let out a shriek so loud he had to put a hand over her mouth to stifle it so no one would would be woken up.

"Thank you," she said when he moved his hand. She was panting and her eyes were wide. "Wow," she said. "That was just...doing that after a week...it really gets me worked up, you know?"

"Well, good," Elijah nodded. "I hope it does." He played with her hair for a little bit, running the dark, silky strands through his fingers before rolling off her and taking a deep breath.

"So," Selina replied, turning to face him. "When are we gonna go meet Gregory's daughter? And please don't be mad at him. I'm sure he thought it through before he decided to adopt her. If you lecture him, it will ruin the trust the two of you just spent a week rebuilding."

"I won't lecture him," Elijah said. "I will give him a warning, though. That's not the same as lecturing, and he's probably already expecting it, so I don't want to disappoint him."

"All right," Selina sighed. "Do what you want, but I just think that it might be nice to show him that you can get through life without constantly needing to give people advice all the time. You may be a thousand years old, you may have life experience, but that doesn't mean that Gregory necessarily needs your help. Not unless he specifically asks for it, anyway. Do you think you can do that? Not give advice unless he asks you for it?"

Elijah sighed. "Fine," he said. "I'll try."

Selina hugged him. "Good to hear," she replied. "Good to hear." She paused. "And I actually liked going out with Klaus and that woman he's seeing. I think we should do it again sometime."

* * *

"Did you call?" Katherine asked Gregory. "Are they coming?"

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "And Father's even promised not to bombard me with advice. I think I can thank my mother for that."

"When are they coming?" Katherine asked.

Gregory looked at his watch and then the doorbell rang. "Right now," he said. "I'll go get the door, you sit in the living room with Elizabeth."

Her jaw dropping a little, Katherine took Elizabeth to the sofa and sat down. A few minutes later, Elijah and Selina came in. Elijah gave Katherine a long look and then turned his attention to the little baby in her lap. "Is that her?" He asked.

"Yeah," Katherine nodded, still holding on tightly to her daughter. "This is Elizabeth."

"And she's human?" Elijah asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "She is. But we'll be able to handle it. We promise."

Elijah sighed. "If you say you can, I believe you," he told Gregory. He reached out. "Can I see her?"

"Okay," Katherine replied, and reluctantly handed her over. Elijah held her in his lap for a few seconds, his body tense, then slowly relaxed and let her lean against him.

"Cute, isn't she?" Selina asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Just like Margaret and Annaliese." He sighed. "I think I'm grateful for this little one," he said. "She'll give me something to do with myself to make it less difficult to face the fact that Margaret is growing up."

Selina cleared her throat as Elijah cuddled Elizabeth. "This might not be the best time to mention that I'm taking Margaret over to James and Lenora's later 'cause she wants to see Henry. Is that all right?"

"Of course," Elijah replied. "If she wants to live her life, I guess it's not my business to try and stop her, is it? As long as she's not hurting anyone."

"All right," Selina nodded. "I just wanted to make sure you'd be okay with it."

* * *

The door opened with a thud and Henry looked up. "I'm home!" Margaret cried. "Thank goodness!"

"This isn't your house," he told her. "You're not home!"

"Yes I am!" Margaret replied. "I like everyone better here than at my house."

"Well, we're glad to have you," Lenora told her. "Is your mother with you, by any chance?"

"No," Margaret shook her head. "She dropped me off at the closet, said goodbye to Astrid, and then left. She says she'll call you tonight though, to ask when she's supposed to come and pick me up." Her mouth twisted at the thought.

"Mommy?" Henry asked. "Is it okay if Margaret stays here tonight? Like a sleepover?"

"If her mother says it's okay, I don't see why not," Lenora replied.

"Who was at the door?" James asked, coming in from outside.

"Margaret's come to visit," Lenora told him. "Isn't that nice?"

"Yes, it certainly is," James smiled. "Hello, Maggie," he said.

"Why did you call me that?" Margaret asked curiously.

"Maggie's a nickname for Margaret," James answered. "You've always seemed more like a Maggie than a Margaret to me."

"I kind of like it," Margaret replied.

Just then, Susanna came toddling in and grabbed Margaret's hand. "See puppy, Maggie," she said and pulled Margaret off to her room to show her Rusty, who had become permanently hers.

"See?" Susanna asked proudly as Rusty came running up to her and she pet his white fur. "Pretty puppy."

"What's his name?" Margaret asked, petting the dog. "Does he have one?"

"Wusty," Susanna replied. "Mama say Wusty."

"'Wusty'?" Margaret asked, her eyebrow knitting. "What sort of name is that?"

"She means _Rusty_," Henry answered, poking his head in the door. "You didn't know that cause she talks funny, but that's what she means."

"_Oh!_" Margaret nodded. "_Rusty_! I get it now. Thank you, Henry."

"You're welcome," Henry replied. "I want to show you something awesome. Come to my room!"

He came and grabbed Margaret's hand and tugged, but when Susanna saw, she frowned and grabbed a piece of Margaret's dress in her small hand and pulled, so in essence both Henry and Susanna were playing tug of war with her as the rope.

"Lenora!" Margaret yelled. "Help!"

"What?" Lenora asked, running into Susanna's room. "What's going on?"

"Susanna is hogging Margaret," Henry said irritably. "She showed her her stupid dog and now it's _my_ turn!"

"Okay," Lenora said, taking a deep breath. "Everyone let go of Margaret."

Resentfully, Henry let go, but Susanna still kept hold. Lenora had to pry her fingers off Margaret's dress. "Now," Lenora continued. "Margaret, what would _you_ like to do?"

Margaret cleared her throat. "I think I'll go with Henry," she said.

"Yay!" Henry cried. "I win!"

"If he starts trouble, you just give me a call," Lenora told Margaret."

"I wouldn't!" Henry cried, looking offended. "I'm a _nice_ boy!"

Lenora smirked. "Your daddy says that all the time and thank goodness it's not true." She then noticed Susanna was beginning to tear up.

"Come here," she said, picking her up in one arm and Rusty in another. "Let's go get some cake from the kitchen, okay?" They strode off, leaving Margaret and Henry alone. "So what's this really awesome thing?" Margaret asked.

"I'll show you," Henry replied. He led her to his room and to Margaret's surprise, a tea set not unlike her own was sitting on the floor. "Are we having a tea party?" She asked. "Why are we having a tea party?"

"Just sit down," Henry told her. "And I'll show you." She sat down, and Henry placed a cup in front of her, then picked up the teapot. "What would you like to drink?" He asked. "You can have whatever you want."

"Chocolate milk," Margaret replied. Henry nodded and tipped the teapot toward the cup. Margaret let out a gasp as real chocolate milk poured out. Then he pulled it away. "What will I have?" He asked himself. "Apple juice, I think." He tipped the teapot and this time apple juice fell into his glass.

"How did you _do_ that?" Margaret asked. "You poured chocolate milk in my cup!"

"It's a secret!" Henry told her. "And if you stay over tonight, I'll tell you it."

Margaret stared at him a few seconds, then turned her head toward the open door. "Lenora!" She called. "When my mommy calls, tell her I want to spend the night!"


	37. We Go Together

"I'm surprised that dropping Elizabeth off at your mom's was your idea," Katherine told Gregory as they parked his car in the garage and strolled inside. "I thought you'd never be able to let her out of your sight."

"Well," Gregory removed his coat and helped Katherine off with hers. "I just...it's been three months and we haven't really had a lot of time alone since Elizabeth came into our lives. Father wants to see her more, so it's perfect: He gets to see Elizabeth and we get some time alone to-" He broke off as Katherine shoved him against the wall and kissed him. "You don't need to finish that sentence," she said. "I know what you're gonna say and I agree. Now, off with your pants!" She reached for his zipper and he put a restraining hand on her wrist. "Ah-ah-ah," he chided her. "Not yet."

"Why not?" Katherine asked.

"Cause there's something you have to do first," Gregory replied. "Say what you said when you and Mother found me in the clearing. I want to hear you say it one more time, and then I will gladly take off my pants."

Katherine sighed. "I would have thought saying it once would be enough."

"No," Gregory shook his head. "I know this might seem pushy, but I need to hear it more than once. Is it really still that hard for you to say even though you've already said it once?"

"No!" Katherine shook her head. "I love you, Gregory. It's not difficult at all, just more sentiment than I care to employ most of the time." She paused. "Now...off with your pants!"

Gregory grinned. "Gladly," he said and undressed. They kissed and she bit his lip, gently licking the blood off and running her tongue over her lips. Then he picked her up and carried her over to the bed, undressing her and looming over her as she grinned up at him. "I hope you're ready for a full weekened of this," she said. "You don't tire easily, do you?"

"No," Gregory shook his head. "Why would I get tired of being with you? Especially since this is the first time we've had time to be alone since we brought Elizabeth home." He grinned. "I've got a lot of pent up energy."

Katherine grinned. "I'm glad to hear it." He kissed her deeply, running his hand over the inside of her thighs and then pushed into her. She let out a shriek, happy that she didn't have to restrain herself because of the baby. When Gregory bit down on her neck and lapped the blood up, she laughed, loud and strong, holding onto him, her fingers threading through his dark hair. They were so enthusiastic that they rolled off the bed and just kept going. When they finally paused, she was on top, and staring down at him. "Tired yet, cowboy?" She asked, sitting up.

"No," Gregory shook his head, even though he was panting hard and they were both sweating. "No, let's keep going."

Katherine sighed. "I suppose we could take a break now...if you wanted. After all, you _do_ have to last me all weekend. I don't want you getting worn out on the first day." She paused and leaned close to Gregory's ear. "Let's take a bath," she whispered. "I'll wash you first!"

His eyes widened and he pushed her off her, scrambling to his feet. They sprinted to the bathroom. Katherine got there first and turned the water on. Then she stepped in, and when she was sitting down, she smirked at Gregory, who stood behind her. "I was enjoying my view," he said.

"I know," she said, leaning toward him. "But come on in. The water's fine."

They spent the rest of the day in each other's arms, and only when they were getting ready for bed did Gregory remember to call his mother to check on how Elizabeth was doing. And he only remembered because Katherine reminded him.

* * *

"Henry!" Margaret said when she opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mommy told my mommy I could come visit," Henry said and pulled Lenora in after him. "Wait a minute!" Lenora told him. "Don't pull! You'll get my arm out of its socket!"

"Oh," Henry flushed a little and let go. "Sorry."

"But we just saw each other yesterday!" Margaret said, confused. "We had a sleepover!"

"Your mom and dad are gonna be busy watching your niece," Lenora told her. "So she thought it might be nice having Henry around to occupy you."

"OOOOOHHHH!" Margaret nodded. "I get it!" She paused. "I'm glad. You're better company than Annaliese."

"All right," Henry said, giving Margaret a look and then turning to face his mother. "We're here. You can leave now and go back to Daddy and Susanna. Goodbye!"

"Goodbye," Lenora told him and gave him a kiss.

"_Mommy_!" He said, rubbing it off and nodding emphatically in Margaret's direction. "Don't kiss me in front of_ her_!"

"Well, I'm sorry," Lenora told him and ruffled his hair. "I'll try and restrain myself in the future." She left and Henry looked at Margaret. "Sorry you saw that," he said. "I know it's gross."

"Your mommy kissing you?" Margaret asked. "I don't think it's gross. I think it's nice." She paused. "Why don't you like it?" She paused. "I'm sure even pirates got kissed by their mommies sometimes."

"No, they didn't!" Henry said. "Do you ever see girls on pirate ships?"

"Well, no," Margaret said. "I don't know _why_ though."

"Me either!" Henry replied. "Cause girls are smart, like you! If I had a pirate ship, I'd let you on it!" He paused. "Wait! The only people on it would be you and me! Not my mommy, or my daddy, or Susanna. They'd just be in the way."

"I don't know if I'd want to be gone forever, though," Margaret said. "I think I'd miss my mommy and daddy too much if I was on a pirate ship with you forever."

"But you'd still come for a little bit?" Henry asked hopefully.

"Yes," Margaret nodded. "I'd come for a little bit."

Henry wanted to put his arms around her, but he stopped. "Can I hug you?" He asked.

Margaret nodded. "Yes, please!" She said. They hugged and were interrupted by a snicker at the door. "Margaret and Henry, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Henry looked up and saw Annaliese with her hand on the door frame. "Go away!" He said. He let Margaret go and chased Annalise down the hallway. They yelled so loud they woke Elizabeth, and after Selina found them, she ordered Henry to go back to Margaret's room while she and Annaliese went into Elizabeth's room and had a chat.

"What was that about?" Selina asked. "Why were you teasing your sister?"

"Cause she and Henry were _hugging_!" Annaliese exclaimed. "She's got boy germs now!"

"You know there are no such things as boy germs, right?" Selina asked. "And if your sister wants to hug Henry, she can. You shouldn't tease them." She paused. "We should figure out something for you to do so you have more hobbies in life then being mean to your sister. What is it you like to do?"

Annaliese shrugged. "I don't know."

"Do you want to play a sport?" Selina asked. "Or do an art class? What can we do to channel all that energy you have into something positive?"

Annaliese thought. "I like swimming," she said. "And tennis."

"Now we're getting somewhere," Selina smiled. "Why don't you and I go down to the public pool some time and we'll see if we can't get you on some sort of swim team. Would you like that?"

"Yes, I would," Annaliese nodded.

"Now," Selina said as she picked Elizabeth up and quieted her. "Don't you think you should go apologize to Henry and your sister?"

"Yeah," Annaliese nodded. "I guess."

"Good girl," Selina told her. "It's the right thing to do. Being nice to people will always get you more friends than being mean to them."

* * *

"So," Klaus asked Felicity as he strode up to her, a flyer from her school clutched in his fist. "Are you planning on going to the prom?"

Felicity removed her ear buds and turned off her music player. "What?" She asked.

"Are you thinking of going to the prom?" Klaus repeated and showed her the flyer. "I found it in your bag."

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Some of my girlfriends and I might go."

"Or I could have Stefan take you," Klaus suggested. "Let's do that!"

"Daddy!" Felicity yelled, but Klaus was no longer listening. He strode into Stefan's bedroom and slammed the door, causing Stefan to look up. "What do you want?" He asked. "What's so important that you had to come barging in here?"

"Felicity's prom is on Saturday and I want you to take her," Klaus told him.

Stefan laughed and shook his head. "No, thank you," he said. "I've done dances before, and I am not going to do them again. I'm almost two-hundred years old, for crying out loud! Besides, I might have a date that night."

"I think not," Klaus told him, getting right in Stefan's face. "I think you'll be taking Felicity to the prom."

Stefan scoffed. "All right," he said. "I'll take Felicity to her stupid prom. But I won't like it."

"No one said you had to," Klaus replied, and left the room.

A few minutes later, Felicity came in. "So, did Daddy talk to you?" She asked.

"Yes," Stefan nodded. "It appears you and I are going to the prom."

She sat next to him. "You know, I really don't want to go," she said. "So we don't have to. We can go out and do something else instead, as long as we're back on time."

Stefan grinned and kissed her. "Thank you!" He said. "Thank you so much for not forcing me to go to another stupid high school dance! I knew there was a reason I liked you!"

One side of Felicity's mouth went up. "I'm glad to do anything that will make you happy," she said.

"Are you ready to go?" Klaus asked, peeking his head in Felicity's room the night of the prom. "Stefan's all dressed and he's downstairs waiting for you."

Felicity was wearing a light pink dress with a very pouffy skirt. "Do I really have to wear this? I look like the cupcakes Mom makes for Valentine's day! It's horrible!"

"Oh, no, it's not!" Klaus assured her. "You look beautiful!"

"I didn't even pick this dress out," Felicity told him. "Amy did."

"Well, that's because all the dresses you were looking at were way too short," Amy said and eyed Felicity critically. "I think we need to curl your hair a bit," she said, and went and got a curling iron.

"I feel like a poodle at a dog show," Felicity huffed.

"Just humor me this once, Felicity," Klaus replied. "Please?"

Felicity rolled her eyes and sighed in an exaggerated way. "Fine," she said. "Just don't make me do it _ever_ again." Amy curled her hair, then she strode out and headed down the stairs to meet Stefan, who was standing by the fireplace in a stiff and awkward way. They stood together, lips pursed, as Klaus and Amy took pictures, and then went on their way.

"Well," Felicity breathed once the two of them were in the car and driving away. "I'm glad _that's_ over! So what are we gonna do until it's time for us to head back?"

"Hmmm, let's think," Stefan replied, a grin on his face. "There's one thing I can think of that will get you out of that awful dress, at least for a little bit." He paused. "What do you say?"

Felicity grinned. "I don't think I'll be able to get you out of your suit fast enough," she told him. She paused. "What are we waiting for? Let's start looking for a hotel!"

"First, we have to go to dinner," Stefan told her. "Your dad mad reservations at some fancy place and I've never been one to turn down a meal. Does that bother you?"

"No," Felicity shook her head. "I suppose that since it's food, the hotel can wait for an hour or two."

"All right," Stefan nodded and they drove to the restaurant, taking their time with their steaks and wine, and making sure to order their chocolate souffles at the beginning so they could delay leaving even more.

Finally, they left, and as they pulled away, Felicity said, "I'm sure there's a hotel around here we could stop at."

"I don't think we should go to a hotel," Stefan replied. "What's the point if we're only gonna be there a few hours?"

"Well, if we're not gonna go to a hotel," Felicity asked, "then where will we go? What's left?"

Stefan grinned. "I know a place," he said. "Trust me."

* * *

Lucy and Damon heard the insistent knocking on the front door, and tried to ignore it, but finally, it became apparent that the person or people on the other side wouldn't go away. Damon rolled off Lucy and put a bathrobe on. "I'll go see who it is," he said. "And then I'll kick their asses for interrupting us." He paused. _"Especially_ if it's somebody selling something."

"Oh, don't do that," Lucy told him. "What if it's someone you actually want to talk to?"

Damon grinned. "Honestly," he said. "How many people are there in the world I genuinely want to talk to? You can coun them on one hand. Therefore, it's highly unlikely that it's someone I like. Especially at this time of night."

"It's not even that late," Lucy told him, putting on her own bathrobe.

"Oh, you stay," Damon replied, untying her robe and running his hand over her bare stomach. "I want something nice to look at when I come back."

"Fine," Lucy sighed. "Just promise me you won't hurt anyone."

"Have I ever promised that?" Damon asked.

"No," Lucy shook her head.

"Well, then, what makes you think I'll promise it now?" He asked, then left and went to answer the door, prepared to beat the crap out of whoever was on the other side. But he paused when he saw it was Stefan and Felicity. His eyes swept over their evening clothes and he smirked. "Where are you off to?" He asked. "Cinderella's ball?"

"Shut up, Damon," Stefan replied. He and Felicity strode into the house and took off their jackets.

"What brings you two here?" Damon asked. "Did you just come to say 'Hi' on the way to wherever it is you're going?"

"No," Felicity sighed. "My dad wanted us to go my prom, but neither of us wanted to, so we're skipping it and plan to have sex instead."

"Where?" Damon asked. "Here?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "You have a room you're not using, don't you?"

"Well, yeah," Damon nodded. "Of course. And I applaud the two of you for your ingenuity, but..."

"But what?" Felicity asked.

"Well, _I'm_ okay with what you're doing," Damon answered. "But Lucy, she might have a different opinion."

As if summoned by the mention of her name, Lucy strode into the room. "What's taking you so long to get back?" She asked. "It obviously wasn't a salesman at the door." Then she saw Felicity and Stefan. "Well, don't you two look nice!" She exclaimed. "What's the occasion?"

"Prom," Felicity replied dryly. "Daddy forced me to dress like this."

"Prom!" Lucy said. "I never actually went to mine. What with aging ten years in a day and being a genius and all, my schooling was a bit messed up."

"We're not actually going," Stefan replied.

"Why not?" Lucy asked. "It could be fun!"

"No," Felicity shook her head. "'Fun' would be drinking lemonade with vervan-contaminated water at a picnic where the food was rotten and there were ants everywhere. School dances are just pure hell."

"Well, what do you know?" Damon grinned at Stefan. "Finally, you found a girl who has as much open contempt for school events as you do."

"Well, if you're not gonna go to the dance," Lucy said, "what do you plan to do instead?"

"Have sex in one of your spare bedrooms," Stefan blurted out. "Damon said it was okay."

"What?" Lucy asked, looking angry. "Damon, how could you do that?"

"What's the harm?" Damon asked. "It'd be easier than paying for a hotel! And it's not like we have to worry about him getting her pregnant."

"True," Lucy grimmaced. "But I still don't like it."

"We'll try to be quiet," Felicity promised. "Please, Aunt Lucy? And _please_ don't tell Dad!"

"Yeah, come on, Lucy!" Stefan said. "Don't be a buzzkill!"

Lucy sighed. "Do what you want," she said. "It's not like I'll be able to stop you anyway. And I won't tell Dad."

"Thank you!" Felicity cried and gave her a hug. Then she and Stefan ran upstairs in search of an empty bedroom while Lucy and Damon stayed downstairs for a minute. "You did well," he told her.

"Of course I did," Lucy said. "I enabled them. Why_ wouldn't_ they think it was good?"

"Would it make you feel better if I reminded you that before they got here, we were doing the same thing they were, and that I insist we continue?" Damon asked. "If you're busy with me, you won't be thinking about them as much."

"All right," Lucy said, taking his hand. "Let's go." They headed upstairs and were still busy when Felicity and Stefan sneaked out and headed home a few hours later. "Wow," Felicity replied, looking up the stairs with admiration. "And here I thought _we_ were the noisy ones."


End file.
